


Suit Up! (Sana Fell Down Again in Key City)

by ssatzumi



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band), TWICE (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Kpop GGs super squad, Romance, Slow Burn, Thriller, Women Being Awesome, characters & ships to be added as they suit up!, in which Sana tries really hard not to fall down but fails, satzu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-05-31 13:17:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19426753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssatzumi/pseuds/ssatzumi
Summary: A clumsy superhero teams up with her squad of supers to locate a signal that leads them to a confrontation with a rogue super wrecking havoc on Key City.She trips in an attempt to help save the day as a young heiress undertaking the rebuild of her company’s destroyed buildings is caught in the middle, a new discovery complicating her vow to honor the memory of her parents.





	1. Prologue - SIGNAL / HOT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta @bisupers on twitter for helping this (& Sana) get off the ground ❤️ (you can find me on twitter too @ssatzumi :)
> 
> Here’s the prologue's [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5PsogX7t0lQLSNyG0X9ud5?si=FHCVQzRCQlummC5SwyWpBg)
> 
> Quotes in the beginning are english lyrics from the prologue title songs: Signal & Hot
> 
> x

...

_I’m waiting for you, it’s all so obvious_

_Why don’t you understand_

_Even if you hide, it will not be hidden_

_I’ll be the light_

…

_Jjirit jjirit! Jjirit jjirit!_

She looked up. The main console was flashing blue lights.

Her eyes widened and she scrambled to the monitor, tripping over manuals. She gaped as lines on the screen were trying to lock on a target 20 kilometers out.

_Jjirit jjirit! Jjirit jjirit!_

The console beeped again as the crosshairs came to a stop. _Key City._

She punched a series of numbers into the control panel.

 _Riiiing riiii—_

“This is HQ. Yes, Sierra Recon?” 

She took a breath. “This is Captain Minatozaki. We have a signal. I repeat, we have a signal!”

There was shuffling on the comms and a new voice took over.

“Are you sure, Captain?” it asked calmly. 

She smiled. “Lieutenant Park, I have never been sure of anything in my life.”

…

Sana had never seen the lights go off in her 2 years stationed at Sierra Recon, the academy’s center for locating instances of supernatural power a.k.a. “Supers Recon”.

There were many signals when she was younger but the occurrences lessened until she was stationed, and then there were none. She was beginning to think she was bad luck.

The door swung open and she stood at attention.

“At ease,” the lieutenant ordered, stopping in front of her with co-lieutenants in tow, all dressed in their navy uniforms. The stern countenance changed into a smirk. “Glad we finally got one, it was getting dry.”

“Arid,” Sana quipped.

Her lieutenant was one of the best and the definition of professional - but deep down? Park Jihyo was just a proud mom.

“Have you eaten?”

Sana sighed, “Yes, Jihyo-yah.”

She found it amusing that her commanding officer was younger and shorter than her but she’d never let Jihyo know. She’d probably end up in the dishwasher. The cold cycle because that’s how the wrath of God worked.

“Did you put—” 

“Yes, Jihyo-yah, I put the towels in the towel cabinet, collected the reports from Blue Squad, and made cheese kimbap for squad dinner,” she summarized.

“Jihyo-yah, I think we’re all good.” One of the officers stepped forward with a hand on Lt. Park’s shoulder.

“Jeongyeon’s right,” added the last officer in the room. “Sana-yah, tell us about the signal.”

“On it, Nayeon unnie,” she smiled in relief, positioning herself in front of the monitor. She gave her report and ended with, “It’s coming from Key City.”

“That close?” Nayeon asked.

Sana nodded.

“Well, hot damn,” Jeongyeon breathed.

They stood in reverence at the first signal ever received on their watch. After a few moments, Jihyo spoke up.

“Looks like it’s up to us. Directors won’t be back for another two weeks. We’re gonna need Momo and Mina, and alert Pink and Red Squads.”

“What about the kids?”

“Not on this one. I think we can make do.”

There was an agreement among them and they were off.

…

Welcome to Key City. It’s rainy ten months a year and always a few degrees south of what should be comfortable. It’s solidly on the coast of _can’t-catch-a-break_.

But mostly it’s alright, Tzuyu thought. The only problem were the citizens.

See most places had finance bros, bad drivers, slow-walking tourists—

Key City had superheroes. 

Yes, the masked spandex-onesie-wearing ones with super powers.

Don’t get her wrong, they had many fans in the city. She just wasn’t one of them.

The supers had always been there, new ones taking on the mantle of protector as time went on. But with good supers were also bad ones - and whenever the two sides battled, it would leave parts of the city destroyed and humans to pick up the remains. She wasn’t sure if they were saving the city or wrecking more havoc on it.

There were still bad humans roaming the streets too. She wondered if superheroes were necessary if they weren’t even effective.

She would also wonder why she didn’t just leave if she didn’t like how things were, but she knew why she didn’t: she had stubbornness issues like a true Chou.

Her family had helped build this city and rebuild it time and time again. It wouldn’t have been Key City without them. She wasn’t about to let her family legacy be destroyed like its buildings last week.

Even if she _was_ the family legacy. Even if today was her 18th birthday and she was due to celebrate with all of Key City’s high society at her debutante ball.

She stepped out of the elevator and was greeted with a flurry of balloons and happy birthdays from the lobby staff. It made her uncomfortable, but she smiled and accepted it because they had put in effort and it was the right thing to do.

She walked out the building’s glass doors and into the black car that had been waiting for her her whole life.

“Where to, Miss Chou?”

“South Sector, please, Frederic.”

And as she sat in the back with a pile of balloons beside her, she felt like she was six again.

They had found her in the thickets at the edge of the estate. She was already tall, though gangly, and had tripped and scraped her knees. She had been so excited to run in the gardens after spending all day in etiquette classes.

_A lady never runs around in the dirt,_ the tutors would say.

Now she was hurt and afraid of being scolded about who would marry her with knees like those. Instead, her mother scooped her up in her arms while her father cleaned and bandaged her knees.

_Why do we fall, Tzuyu?_ he would ask with his kind brown eyes.

_So we can learn to pick ourselves up,_ she would answer, wiping back tears and beginning to smile.

Her father would smile back. _That’s right,_ he would say with pride and hug them both.

The engine hummed as they turned onto Chou Avenue and Tzuyu shook herself out of her reverie, alone in the back of the car.

She looked out the window at the tall buildings with enormous screens on their facades flashing the latest commercials, the news scrolling on tickers, the crowds of pedestrians swarming the sidewalks and crosswalks, the lights and honks of cars in traffic-filled streets. She saw her face plastered on a giant billboard with a _Happy 18th Birthday to Key City’s Golden Girl!_

It was the City of Lights and she had everything a girl could ask for, except for the one thing she wanted most.

She wished she could go back to when she was six and it was simpler. There would be no giant billboards of her face, just her and her parents baking her birthday cake together, the kitchen full of comforting laughs and the smell of home. 

_But I’ll keep trying to pick myself up, Dad. I’ll make you and Mom proud._

…

“Ship’s leaving in 20, let’s move, Blue Squad!” she called out in the locker room. 

“There’s only two of us, Cap, you don’t need to shout,” joked a girl with jet black bangs and half her suit on.

The girl beside her sighed. “You know, for someone who has super speed you’re super slow at getting ready, Momoring. Leave Sana unnie alone.” 

Sana stopped in front them, already dressed in their black agent suit. “Thanks, Mina-yah. Now suit up, _please_ , Momo.” 

“Sure thing, Cheese Kimbap.” 

She huffed at the name which only elicited more laughter. She was their commanding officer, but that didn’t stop Momo from coming up with various ways to say Sana that weren’t actually ever Sana.

She ignored Momo, who had at least finished buttoning her white shirt, and turned to help Mina with her tie.

“Are we flying with Pink and Red Squads, unnie?” Mina asked. 

“Yep,” she nodded, noting the small smile that graced the younger girl’s face.

“It was nice working with them, regardless of what happened.” 

“Yeah,” Sana murmured, her brows creasing. 

An announcement broke on the overhead comms. _*Blue, Pink, and Red Squadrons report to your stations.*_

The locker room came alive as the other squads lined up, women in matching suits, some wearing holsters for their preferred crime-fighting equipment.

She lined up her team and marched out with the rest, all placing a palm or saluting a black and white photo on the wall of a woman kneeling on a hill, looking out at a city in smoke and ruin.

They proceeded onto the roof where a nondescript airship waited on the academy’s flight pad, its engines creating deafening bursts of wind that flapped their hair and ties as they boarded.

She sat towards the front with the other officers, meeting Jeongyeon’s eyes under a pilot cap. Her lieutenant gave a nod and turned back to the cockpit. Jeongyeon’s co-pilot was already checking the gauges. Sana recognized her long blonde hair in the bun. It was the sophomore from Pink Squad that their main pilot trusted over the others and sat beside her on important missions.

“Let’s hope it’s not that serious,” said the Pink Squad captain next to her, noticing the same duo in the cockpit.

Sana gulped. If the academy’s resident Ice Queen was initiating a conversation with her, _then it must be serious._

“Y-yeah, Jennie-nim.” 

“We ready?” the Red Squad lieutenant asked in front of them, her tiny (but pretty, Sana had always thought) face surveying the length of the ship. 

Nayeon came back from the aisle with a thumbs up. “All set, Baechu unnie.” 

“Alright. Let’s go, guys!” the Pink Squad lieutenant called out. 

Jeongyeon nodded, “Aye aye, Jisoo unnie. Hold on tight, folks!” 

The engines growled. _*Squadrons, this is your Pilot speaking. Please be seated and make sure all seat belts are fastened and tray tables stowed. Prepare for lift off.*_

Sana settled in and watched out the window as the surrounding trees turned into a rare clear blue sky.

…

As she stood within the wreckage of Chou Industries’ buildings, she scolded herself for not overseeing things when the board decided to use money from the company’s rebuild funds for her debutante ball. It would take forever to fix the damage and many people without work until then.

“Miss Chou, if I may,” her faithful driver and butler began, sticking out among the hard hats swarming around them as he dusted his sleeves. “Might we assess the damage from the safety of the great outdoors?”

“You don’t have to follow me, Frederic. I’ll be okay.”

She too was in a gray pinstriped suit, but was never one to forego getting her hands dirty. Etiquette tutors be damned. 

She also had a feeling that she was supposed to be here. That maybe if she kept picking up the pieces, kept rebuilding, her parents would come back somehow and they could be a family again - as silly as that sounded because she remembered the news that day with aching clarity.

_Key City Golden Couple Lost In Wreck of ’06_

_6 Year Old Heiress Left In Charge Of Chou Industries_

_What Will Happen To Key City’s Chou Dynasty?_

She tried to ignore the memories. She had to believe anything could happen, even if she was the only one who believed it. 

She turned to Frederic. “Actually, could you tell everyone to go? You too.” 

His brows scrunched. “I can’t leave—” 

“Please, Fred.” She gave him a steady look. 

He sighed. He wasn’t immune to the legendary stubbornness of the family he had served for 2 generations. Helping raise her, he also knew that his ward needed to be alone at times to sort the things that ran through a young girl’s mind when she was responsible for the largest company in the city. 

“As you wish, Miss Chou.” 

He cleared the area and gave her a last glance before leaving, shaking his head. Chou Tzuyu was far too young to have had her childhood taken away.

…

Buildings streamed underneath as they entered the city’s airspace. The radar blips on the console began to accelerate and Jeongyeon slowed the craft. The ship’s propellers whirred and they hovered.

“Signal’s coming from right below us,” her co-pilot announced. 

“Good job, Rosie. What have you got, Jihyo-yah?” Jeongyeon asked. 

“Let’s see…” Jihyo scanned the view. “We’re in the South Sector.” 

“Where those buildings got hit last week?” Jennie asked. 

“Oops,” said the Red Squad captain behind them, cringing. 

Sana patted her back. “It’s okay, Seulgi unnie. You did what you had to.”

“Yeah, they were Chou Industries,” Jihyo said, resuming her reconnaissance. “I see the site, but nothing else. How about you, Jisoo unnie?”

The Pink Squad lieutenant closed her eyes, then replied, “It’s an all clear for me too.”

Nayeon tapped her chin. “The signal _has_ to be here. I don’t think that super visited Key City last week for nothing and then fought us on this spot. Touch down on that building, Jeong, let’s check it out.”

…

“Did you make it sunny today, Wanda unnie?” A girl in a high ponytail flashed a cheeky grin, her ash brown hair drawing squiggles on her cheeks as she sat next to the open hatch, enjoying the breeze.

The Red Squad member snorted. “Not even a little bit.”

“That’s no fun.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Okay! Well, the temperature today is—”

“ _Not literally,_ Manoban.” 

A gust of wind hit the girl’s face but she just laughed and fixed her ponytail. 

Mina observed the exchange and covered her mouth with a hand to hide the forming smile. Momo shook her head beside her because she saw how her squadmate’s eyes twinkled at the two across from them, and she didn’t have to be a genius to know which one had that effect on her.

Momo was about to sneak in another nap when Lt. Bae Joohyun, call sign Irene, stood in front of them.

“We’re making our approach, ladies. That means specs on and they don’t come off unless you’re in super suit.”

“Yes, Lieutenant!” they replied, all putting on black sunglasses and checking their earpieces.

“And remember,” Lt. Bae continued. “No super gets left behind.”

…

She stared at the crumbled walls around her, then examined her notes.

_~Woke up feeling energized & broke a mug on the counter, thought I left clumsy at 8~_

_Meet with Bored—_

_Ask them to show you the money because what did they do with it_

_Password for Netflix_

_3pm hair and makeup for ball_

_Tonkatsu order_

18 and her notes were still useless. She had forgotten why she asked to be alone and began walking through the rubble. 

She noticed pockets of daylight seeping through the cracks and for the first time realized that it wasn’t raining today, and how beautiful the light was even though all she could see were streaks.

A small crease tugged at her lips. When was the last time she really smiled?

A ridiculous idea popped into her head. She closed her eyes, a dimpled smile now, and made a wish. She opened them and blew at the tiny rays on the wall. 

_Happy Birthday, Tzuyu,_ she thought to herself. 

It was then she decided she wasn’t going to her debutante ball. She knew they didn’t care about her, just the theatrics and being around others as pompous. She would ask Frederic and have him do his thing, where people would scurry about and things would happen, and cancel the ball, return everything they could to transfer the money back to the rebuild fund, and give anything left to those that needed it, like the food.

It would be a scandal but she didn’t care, and she knew that her parents wouldn’t have either about that kind of scandal. Just the ones of the soul. The pompous would have a field day with it as well. It was a win for everyone. 

She was about to place a call when she heard a yell. She looked through the fractured wall and saw a burly figure sprinting away from an elderly woman who was on the ground. 

She had never been witness to everyday crimes being sheltered and never alone in public, but Tzuyu didn’t hesitate and ran out. 

“Halmeoni, are you okay?” She helped the woman up, noticing her torn coat. 

The older woman nodded with wet eyes and pointed in the direction of her assailant. “My bag. I don’t care about the money, but the only photo I have of my son was in my wallet. Please…” 

“Don’t worry, halmeoni.” She activated the SOS button on her cellular and handed it to the woman, then shrugged off her suit jacket and placed it over the woman’s shoulders before dashing down the alley.

…

“SOS from the same location,” Jisoo said, opening her eyes. 

Jihyo gazed at a spot on the floor. “It’s an elderly lady on the back street, she’s holding a phone. Looks hurt.” 

“Paramedics will round the corner soon,” Jisoo continued. 

Nayeon held up a black pen. “Time to be all-seeing, God Jihyo.” 

Jihyo saw paramedics in the distance move backwards in fast motion and disappear, and a girl in business attire running backwards to the woman, taking the phone with her as she zipped back into the destroyed building. 

“It was a robbery,” Jihyo recited. She looked up with a grave expression. “It looks like the same guy from last week.”

“Jeongyeon, Rosie, go,” Joohyun motioned. 

“Why would a muggle run after a super in business wear? That’s just bad form,” Sana thought aloud as the ship glided down. 

Seulgi shrugged. “Some people just want to watch the world burn.” 

“No, that’s Lalisa,” Jennie replied.

The ship thudded against a roof.

“Touchdown!” announced Jeongyeon.

Nayeon faced them. “Let’s split up. Bae Leader and Jihyo-yah will go after the super with Red Squad, Jendeukie, and Momo. Jichu and I will be in charge of everyone else to track that signal. Jeongyeon-ah and Rosie, you guys watch the ship.” 

“What about the girl? She doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into,” Sana asked.

“Thanks for volunteering, Sana-yah,” Jeongyeon smirked. “ _You’ll_ be in charge of getting her out.” 

Sana began to protest as the members separated into their respective groups.

“Better get a head start, you won’t have Momo to rely on.” 

“ _Aish…_ ” Sana shook her head and ran down the alley. 

Nayeon gave a pointed look at her co-lieutenant who was still smiling.

Jeongyeon shrugged. “What? If the crew doesn’t hate one of us we’re not doing our job. Besides, gotta make the old lady look good.” 

“I always look good,” Nayeon replied. “And I’m not old.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Nabongs.”

…

Sana swung around a corner and collided with a mailbox. She shot up and smoothed her suit before anyone could say _Sana fell down again._

She blew at her hair. How was she supposed to find this human when she wasn’t fast like Momo or could see through walls like Jihyo? Humans should really learn to stay out of their way. They had a city to protect and other supers to fight, they didn’t need more idiots to save.

_Also, where was this girl?_ She had been running for a few minutes scanning cross streets with no sign. 

She climbed up a fire escape and onto a roof for a better view. The light was warm on her face as the sun hung low in the horizon. She started formulating a plan to get back at Jeongyeon for clowning her when the metal piping on the side of another building flew off and hovered in the air.

She sighed. Of course she had found the rogue super before the others and _of course_ he could control metal. It was gonna be one of those days. 

She stripped off her suit and jumped roofs covered in black leather, her cape parachuting behind her. She landed on heeled boots without a sound and peered over the edge through her mask.

Below her, the pipe floated over the raised arm of a man in a beanie mask facing a girl with long black hair and pinstriped pants, who did not seem the least bit frightened about being cornered in an alley.

Her mouth hung open. Not only did she find the human, she knew who she was. She leapt off the roof and disappeared into the night.

“Guys, I found her!” she said through her earpiece from behind a stack of boxes, ready to take action if the pipe flew, but keeping her cover from being exposed. 

“Muggle girl?” Jihyo asked. 

“Yep, and you’re not gonna believe who it is.” 

Joohyun’s voice patched through. “Who?” 

“ _Chou Tzuyu._ ”

“What!? Key City’s Golden Girl??” Joohyun squeaked. 

“The super is here too with metal powers and _she’s not running away._ ”

“Is she crazy??”

The man hurled the pipe before she could answer and Sana dove to push the girl out of the way who had frozen in place shielding herself with her arms, when Sana realized she miscalculated and hit the ground.

_No!_

She looked back and her face widened in confusion and surprise. 

“What was that? Are you okay??” Jihyo asked. 

“I’m gonna have to call you back, something magical is happening,” she breathed, staring at the scene before her.

The pipe had clanked onto the ground next to the girl who was looking at her hands in disbelief. _Did she just—??_

“What the—” the man growled. 

He flicked his arm and a giant metal trash bin flew at the young heiress who had now recovered and threw her arms forward. Sana could only gape as the bin was deflected with a dent and a crash.

“ _You’re a super??_ ” the man accused. 

The girl shook her head. “What—?” 

The man had fled before she could say anything else. She dropped her arms and started to hyperventilate.

Sana reappeared behind her. “Miss Chou, are you okay?” 

The girl spun around and yelped.

“No, no! I’m not one of them!” Sana held up her hands. 

“Could’ve fooled me.”

She peered down at her super suit. “Ah, well. I’m on the good side!”

But when she looked up the girl was nowhere in sight.

_And I thought I was the one good at disappearing._

…

Her earpiece crackled. “We figured out the signal, it’s moving east—” 

“It’s the muggle!” she interrupted. “Well, non-muggle now. She shoved a trash bin the size of a truck away like it was a ball of paper!”

Jihyo patched through. “The Chou heiress??” 

“Yeah - _she_ was our signal all along!”

“No wonder I couldn’t predict anything about her earlier,” Jisoo added. 

“Good job, Sana-yah! Is she with you?” Nayeon asked. 

“Chasing her right now. She keeps running away,” she pouted.

“Sending backup, just hang on until we get there.”

“Copy that.”

She rounded another corner and was proud of herself for not hitting anything. In front of her was a view of the Key City skyline on the other side of the river that split the metropolis into its North and South Sectors. She recognized the area full of construction sites and half built towers. They were owned by none other than Chou Industries.

Chou Tzuyu would know how to get around these places. Sana had her work cut out for her.

She scanned the open floors. All she needed was just one glimpse of— _Pinstriped pants._

“Gotcha!” Sana climbed up another roof and began jumping towards the middle levels of the construction.

…

Tzuyu was in a state of panic. When she had wished to escape the debutante ball to follow a life true to herself, she didn’t mean escape from everything she had ever known and transform into a— _what_ was she now?

She needed to call Frederic but had to get away from whoever was chasing her. There were a million questions running through her head that she didn’t realize she was running into an empty building with nowhere to go but up.

She knew that there was a slim chance of escape but she wasn’t going down without a fight. She ran like she never had.

There was a flash of black. Tzuyu looked around wildly. 

A hand reached out to grab her and she swung hers back, engaging in a wrestling match with a floating arm. Her features widened in horror.

Then shoulders appeared, and soon an entire figure cloaked in black stood out of thin air. She grunted and tried to throw the super off but her earlier strength was nowhere to be found.

The grip on her arm lightened. “I’m not gonna hurt you. Just don’t run away.”

The voice was bright yet soothing. Tzuyu stopped struggling. She met the girl’s eyes through her mask.

They were purple in the sunset light. She stared in awe.

There was a look in the girl’s eyes that seemed familiar to her though she knew she had never met a super in her entire life. For a moment that felt like forever, they studied each other in silence.

“I see you. Yours are blue,” the girl said. “Do you see me?” 

“Yeah,” Tzuyu whispered. 

“Are you afraid?”

“Of you? No,” she answered, and it was the truth, for those eyes had somehow shifted the world in the space of a heartbeat.

The girl released her and Tzuyu regarded her with recognition. “Satang.” 

The girl’s lips broke into a grin at her call sign. “You know me!” 

“Yeah, you’re the ‘Invisible Girl’. Everyone knows you.”

“Everyone knows you too, Chou Tzuyu.”

Tzuyu remembered the world outside the color purple and everything came crashing down. She wanted to lie and say no, she was someone else, that she was a normal girl, that she was happy. 

She punched a pillar that burst into rocks.

“Hey, hey,” Sana held her back. “Don’t waste the magic, the sun is setting.”

Tzuyu lifted her chin. “I don’t believe in magic.”

“You will, when you see her,” the super said, scanning the horizon.

“Who?”

The girl glanced at her, the sky reflecting in her eyes. “You.”

She snorted but turned to hide a shiver. “I don’t think so.” 

“You really are as a stubborn as they say, Chou Tzuyu.”

She had never met anyone aside from her parents that kept using her full name like this, stealing the last of her defenses.

“It’s just Tzuyu.”

The girl smiled. “Well, Just Tzuyu, how about we help the others find that super that attacked you and serve some justice?”

She was about to agree when the floor dropped.

…

They were going down amidst an avalanche of concrete. Sana faded on instinct but felt arms finding and wrapping around her. She felt her head tucked under a chin. As they tumbled down, she realized that Tzuyu had shielded her with her own body, the rubble deflecting off them like raindrops.

It felt like a dream where the fall never ends.

Then she felt them flying back up and the concrete reattaching. There was the sound of crunching and they found themselves standing on an arch of solid ice, the remaining blocks being blown away. It was front row to a nighttime spectacular. 

A hatch opened in front of them. 

“Jump!” Jihyo yelled out. 

“Who are you??” Tzuyu stepped back.

Sana grabbed her once more. “Friends! Now let’s go!” 

And they flew, sailing through a parted gap in the rock storm for much longer than a human should be able to suspend in air. The wind deposited them onto the floor of the ship. 

Sana got up. “Thanks for the lift, Wendy unnie!” 

“No prob, kid,” said a girl who tucked her hands into her chest, stopping the wind. 

Tzuyu found herself surrounded by girls all in superhero outfits.

One with remnants of ice on her jacket and an intimidating face inspected her. “So this was the muggle?” 

“Don’t scare her on her first day, Jennie-yah,” Joohyun chuckled. “Are you hurt?”

Tzuyu shook her head. The smaller girl placed a hand on her head anyway. It glowed with a red aura and Tzuyu felt lightened.

There was a whoosh and another girl appeared with a hand outstretched. “Hey! I’m Momo.” 

She shook it, still dumbfounded. “The Speed Mochine…?” 

“The one and only,” the girl winked before whooshing away. 

“Okay, that’s enough,” Jihyo shooed. “We can do introductions later, we need to catch that rogue super. This wasn’t the only building he’s been pulling steel frames off of.”

The ship blasted its engines. Sana sat beside her. 

“Do you believe in magic now?”

…

They found the next attack and landed on a neighboring roof where another squad of supers awaited them. Tzuyu was given a mask.

A girl with a pen stepped forward, bewildering her. It was The Doctor. _Was she going to write the bad super a prescription?_

“Suit up! Key City Supers, let’s fly!” the girl shouted.

The supers dove off the 50-story building in formation. Satang looked back at her. 

“You coming?”

Tzuyu realized she had already fallen off a building today. She shrugged. “Um. Yeah, why not.”

She jumped off with zero grace.

…

Cars left in haphazard formations lined the streets below them and pedestrians crowded behind sirens.

“It’s the supers!”

“We’re saved!” 

“Just try to keep up,” Satang instructed as they landed. “And no real names.”

The girl went invisible and Tzuyu watched as the supers jumped into action.

“Look, it’s Vision!”

“And Solo!”

“The Black Swan! She’s so pretty!”

“My bias is Satang!”

“I need a Doctor!!”

The rogue super had barricaded himself with cars at the building’s entrance.

“Let’s burn it up hot!” Momo shouted through the earpiece. There was a burst of fire. 

“I love you, Blaze!!!” someone yelled to a super in a ponytail torching the cars. 

A car flung out but they had leaped away as if they had known it would happen.

“Future for CEO!” the people cheered.

“Nice one, Jisoo-yah!” Irene applauded on the comms. 

Then Tzuyu saw sheets of dust puffing out the sides of the tower. It was going to fall. 

The others knew it too and had begun to evacuate the crowd.

She saw the super called Future giving a worried look to The Doctor. The girl lifted her pen and time slowed. The Speed Mochine was zipping back and forth carrying humans out of the area. The Black Swan danced about placing her hands on people’s heads while Solo created walls of ice around them. Siren and Blaze were still trying to blast through the barricade.

Satang appeared in the crowd and met her eyes. There was no light in her purple sky. The super who controlled the wind had begun shifting dark clouds overhead bringing in lightning and rain. Tzuyu never knew the sunset could be so violent. 

She questioned Satang silently. _Tell me what you want me to do._

The other ducked with a yelp at a crack of thunder. Tzuyu felt a tug and ran towards her.

“We can’t evacuate everyone before it falls,” the girl rushed. “Can you hold the building?”

Tzuyu froze. “I don’t know if I can. A trash bin is one thing, but a tower??” 

“I believe in you, Chou Tzuyu! And I’ll be right behind you. We can win this fight!” 

She eyed the quaking building and shook her head. “We’re gonna get hurt!” 

“Tzuyu.”

She looked at the girl who’s eyes were now brown under the clouds. 

“Even if you shy away from the light, it won’t be hidden,” the girl continued. 

“I can’t!”

“You have to! We don’t have much ti—”

An ominous rumble interrupted. There was a big bang of souls, then silence. Chunks of walls had fallen and everything disappeared in a fog of dust.

A strong gust cleared the street and Sana found herself crouched, shielding herself from a giant shadow. She lowered her arms and gasped.

An entire wall the size of a football field had honed in on the spot where they stood, but remained suspended, leaning against the neighboring building. Underneath was the last of Key City’s Chou Dynasty - eyes glowing an electric blue, black hair wild in the wind, and arms outstretched carrying the entire behemoth on her back. A sight in pinstripes before her. 

“You saved my life,” she uttered.

Tzuyu grunted under the weight. “Get out of here, go.” 

Sana pressed on her earpiece. Jihyo’s voice patched through.

“We see you, both of you.”

_Whoosh._ Sana felt herself leave in a blur. Momo dropped her next to the others staring in wonder at the street.

The girl in pinstripes hurled the wall into the river beside the battlefield, then turned to the supers with a wide grin. She had the magic. 

Sana grinned back and looked to the others. “Ladies! Shall we?” 

_Key City Supers, comin’ in hot!_ was the rallying cry and they were off once more.

Tzuyu ran alongside them feeling like she could breathe for the first time. Fire, wind, ice, and sonic blasts hurtled past them. A pen was flicked and the world rushed forward. Someone gave directions, the other told when to evade. She barreled through the cars and a blur surged past her.

They had surrounded him. He ran up a skeleton of stairs but they could keep up now. All of the metal was covered in rubble, he had nowhere to go.

Tzuyu felt herself being propelled by a cyclone and she smashed through the ceilings. She was flying up through hails of rubble, up and up an atmospheric crescendo, until she found the Speed Mochine spinning around the super, making him stumble forward and into her grasp. The others soon arrived, Solo encasing the man’s hands in blocks of ice.

“Good job, kid,” said the girl who had healed her earlier. She faced the super and tsked. “He’s been a bad boy. Take him away, Pilot.” 

A girl in uniform flashed in out of nowhere and grabbed the man’s shoulders. “My pleasure, Irene.” 

They both disappeared in another flash. 

Future stepped forward. “The people still need us, let’s clean up.”

…

They went back to the streets under the glow of dawn. The super known as Rosé had joined them and was dousing the residual flames with beams of water from her hands while the Black Swan continued placing her hands on people’s heads.

“What is she doing?” Tzuyu asked, placing another slab of concrete on top of a pile she had created to collect the damage.

Siren looked up and squinted. “Oh, Mina? She’s wiping their memory. Damage control and all that.” 

“Huh,” Tzuyu uttered. She needed to pay more attention to the supernatural of Key City. 

“Tzuyu, right? I’m Seulgi.” 

She bowed. “Nice to meet you, sunbaenim.”

She scanned the area, seeing humans staggering around, searching and finding, and supers beside them reaching out and offering their hands. She searched for a familiar set of eyes and found them looking back at her. She smiled as the girl walked towards her, blonde hair playing in the gentle breeze. 

“You did good.” 

“Thanks.” She studied the swirls of purple.

The girl’s lips quirked. “Happy Birthday, by the way. I’m sorry if you didn’t get to celebrate it the way you wanted to.” 

Tzuyu smiled. “It’s okay. It turned out to be very eventful. Thank you.” 

“I’m Sana.”

Tzuyu liked her real name. “Just Tzuyu," she replied.

Sana swatted her. “I like Tzuyu-yah better.”

She hadn’t been called that in a while either. “Okay,” she laughed. 

A few of the others had made their way towards them. 

“Glad that’s over,” said Vision, patting Sana on the back. 

“Yes, ones we hate last forever,” added the Black Swan. “Did you have a horrid day?” 

“Who says horrid anymore? Let us live a little, Mitang!” Momo griped. 

“Alright, settle down!” The super with the pen stood in front of Tzuyu. “Hi, I’m Nayeon unnie.”

“Yeah, ‘cause she’s old—” A punch. “Ow!” 

Nayeon turned back from glaring at Momo. “We’re glad to find you, Tzuyu. You saved us back there. It’s been a crazy day, and for you most of all. You must have a lot of questions.”

Tzuyu eyed Sana, who smiled with encouragement. She took a breath, “Yes, unnie. I know that powers are inherited, but everyone knows my parents were not supers, nor was anyone in my family.” 

“And you’re wondering why you.” 

She nodded. 

“We’re not quite sure either. A super is usually born with their powers, but for you it was on your eighteenth birthday,” Nayeon continued.

Vision stepped forward. “But we might be able to help you. Come back to the academy with us.” 

“Jihyo’s right,” said Nayeon. “It’s where we all live, train, and learn more about our powers and others in the world: K.P.O.P. Academy a.k.a. Key’s Preparatory of Preternaturals.” 

“Only supers know about it. It’s pretty awesome, _and_ the chefs make the best jokbal!” Momo grinned.

Tzuyu mulled on it. “What about that super who was after me? I thought only girls inherit the super genes.”

“That’s another thing that we’ve been trying to understand,” Nayeon replied.

“Whatever’s going on, it’s not normal,” Jihyo added. “Some have been popping up in Key City lately, though we don’t know to what end. We’ve been able to handle them so far, but we have this feeling… that it’s just the beginning.”

“We could use your help too, Tzuyu,” said Nayeon. “What do you say?”

Tzuyu thought about her parents and if they had kept something from her all this time. She thought about what they would say to her right now.

_What is your name?_ her mother would ask.

_Chou Tzuyu!_ she would reply. 

_That’s right, sweetheart. You are a Chou, just like me and just like your father. You must protect that name, because you are our future. And if you ever get lost, just remember your name._

Now all she had left was the damn name. She would give it all away if it meant hearing their voices one more time.

“Tzuyu.”

Sana was giving her a look she couldn’t decipher.

“You might feel out of place right now, but somewhere in the world there is acceptance and love. You will find it, and maybe it’s with us,” she said.

Tzuyu blinked and thought about when they first met in the light.

_You really are as a stubborn as they say, Chou Tzuyu._

Sana was a name thief. 

_It’s just Tzuyu._

Because Tzuyu had let her.

_Well, Just Tzuyu, how about we help the others find that super that attacked you and serve some justice?_

But it was okay, because maybe you could have many names and many futures. She looked at the girls around her, who ran and flew with her today, wearing masks like her. Maybe all you needed was someone to stand beside you.

“Okay. I’m in.” 

Nayeon extended a hand. “Welcome to the super squad!” 

She was surrounded by cheers and pats on the back.

“Everything’s gonna be alright,” Jeongyeon reassured. 

Momo gave her a high five. “Would you look at that, a muggle turned super!” 

“She’s one of us now,” Sana replied, planting her feet in front of Tzuyu.

Tzuyu looked at her and felt like she was back on the open floor of an empty building and it was just the two of them. 

“Are they still blue?” she joked. 

Sana hummed with a knowing smile. “They’re like chocolate now. Chocolate ice cream cheoreom.” 

Tzuyu felt her lips stuck in a smile and realized she didn’t have a problem with it. “Is that your favorite ice cream flavor?”

“No, it’s Gone With the Wind. You?”

“Cookies ’n Cream.” 

Sana laughed. “Well, yours isn’t chocolate either, so we’re square!” 

“I can give it another try,” she replied. “My favorite might change.”

“That’s true. One should never give up on that hope.”

They remained quiet for a while as the others milled about and the pilots went to get the ship. There was a gleam in the girl’s eyes that made Tzuyu believe in stars and names, and that she might find her way if she followed these signs like the supers followed a signal and found her.

She also learned that light wasn’t just one color, it wasn’t just white rays, but a spectrum. It was a stream of green and blue and purple and everything else. That storms were alright, perhaps even beautiful, and that chocolate could also be a way of life.

The airship landed in the street and Jihyo waved. “All aboard!”

The wind whipped at her hair and ruffled her blouse as she followed the others. She was going to have to call Frederic, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t have to worry. Maybe this would be the year the panic would be over.

She was next to go in and gazed at the streets one last time.

_Key City was alright._

She faced forward and stepped inside.

Mina helped with her seat belt while Momo talked to her about the brunch menu. She saw Sana turn back as the engines revved and they shared a smile. It was a new reality, but it was a pleasant and thrilling one.

And as they lifted into the sky, she recalled how it was just yesterday when she didn’t believe in the girls seated around her.

She thought about how the supers gave the people hope, and maybe that was all that was necessary. That when you walk to the edge of all the light and take that first step into the darkness, you must believe that there will be something solid for you to stand on, like a bridge of ice or a pair of hands, or you will be taught to fly like the wind.

This was how she would pick herself up. This was why she boarded the ship.

Sure there were still finance bros, bad drivers, slow-walking tourists— 

But there were also superheroes.

It wouldn’t be Key City without them.

…


	2. Like OOH-AHH / Woohoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in posting this, I wasn’t able to write as much as I wanted to the past few weeks =\
> 
> I was able to go to my first KCON and Twicelights this past month and they were both amazing experiences I definitely want to go again! I was fortunate enough to be able to meet our favorite girls at hi touch (akjskjafsja!) and they’re all so beautiful in person and so sweet. Sana really is the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen haha ❤️
> 
> I tweeted about some of my experiences so if you’re interested or just wanna fangirl about Twice and Kpop GGs you can find me at the same name :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy our first glimpse into the super world! Here's this chapter's [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4W2yoeHodPn4wFSDZj4u7E?si=lTVfyceKTAWQDHnKuKkF1g)
> 
> Quotes at the start are english lyrics from the chapter title songs: Like OOH-AHH & Woohoo
> 
> x
> 
>  _Get well soon, Mina_ ❤️

_..._

_Look at me and see me again  
Pass by once and look back (TWICE)_

_Welcome to my world  
Welcome to my world_

…

They flew up through a blanket of clouds and headed east towards the sun. The hatch was kept open and Tzuyu smiled at the view. Everything was a dazzling blue.

She was given a comm link and reassured a distraught Frederic, leaving out the extraordinary.

“I celebrated with… friends. I’m in their, um, helicopter. I’ll let you know when I come back. Yes, they’ll drop me off. Thanks, Fred.”

She ended the call and heaved a sigh. She’ll have to tell him sooner than later.

“It’s okay, kid,” hummed Wendy. “We all had to figure that out too.”

“Except Minari,” added Momo. “Everyone in the super world knows her family.”

Mina shrunk into her seat. “Not really…”

“What? Coming from a long line of ancient supers is nice. You didn’t have to come out to your adopted parents like I had to.”

Mina’s face remained pink and Lisa spoke up. “What we’re saying is, we all have our stories. You’re not alone, Tzuyu.”

_*This is your Pilot speaking. Prepare for arrival in 15 minutes.*_

They began their descent. Tzuyu glimpsed shimmering ice caps on mountains dressed in shades of green. She had never gone this far east, there was nothing past the cordillera except a small fishing town whose fishermen kept to themselves and never ventured into the city except to deliver their catch.

Or so she thought.

Nestled within a forest of oak, elm, and acacias sat the town, its boats scattered like wayward dots in azure waters. On an island further out stood a white lighthouse keeping watch over the bay.

Past that were marshes and inlets, hot springs that seared mists for the light to play in. A heaven compared to the grit and concrete of the metropolis.

“There it is!” Lisa pointed.

Momo grinned. “Home sweet home.”

Below them was a hill with manicured slopes and landscaped trees. Brick roads wrapped around, all leading to a circular driveway. In the center was a large stone building with multiple wings and towers, slanted roofs, and ivy scaling the walls. It was reminiscent of an old prestigious university and a medieval castle.

One roof held a helipad and they touched down onto it. Seat belts clicked off and feet shuffled in the aisle.

Irene noticed her lost look and called to the officers, “Tzuyu will go with Blue Squad since you guys found her.”

Nayeon ushered her out. “Come on, maknae.”

…

She was led to the east wing and into a dormitory with a common room decorated in blue furnishings with apricot and neon magenta accents. Old portraits and banners hung on the walls, along with a bulletin of random announcements.

_*Please sort out the trash/recycling before throwing.*_

“That’s Jeongyeon,” Nayeon remarked as the others disappeared behind separate doors. “Better remember before she kicks your ass.”

She followed the older girl into a room with two sets of bunks.

“You’ll be in here with the other incoming freshmen. There’s only two, so that’s a spare bunk. We can get your stuff here today but we have uniform sets and the academy’s clothing line that everyone wears. I’m not sure how long you’d like to stay with us.”

“I was supposed to start university this fall,” Tzuyu contemplated. “But a part of me didn’t want to leave Key City, so I didn’t finalize anything. Maybe I can make it work and stay here?”

Nayeon gave a sympathetic smile. “You have time to decide and figure things out. It’s not every day you become a super and realize there’s a whole school full of them too. Not to mention you’re basically the It Girl of Key City.”

“Yeah…” she left off. She still needed to deal with the PR nightmare that was the missed debutante ball, although Frederic had already covered for her saying she was under the weather, which wasn’t completely untrue.

Nayeon patted her shoulder. “Whatever you wanna do, just let me or Jihyo know, we got you. And know you’ll always have a place here. No super gets left behind.”

“Thank you, unnie.”

The older girl left her with some clothes and she headed to the shower. It was the first time she was able to begin processing the recent events, and it was all still a movie in her mind.

She kept replaying the scenes in the alley and the street. She examined her hands. She thought about purple eyes and falling.

_Why do we fall, Tzuyu?_  
  
_If you ever get lost, just remember your name._

They had to have known something. She had to learn more.

She had to find out how her family and her powers were linked, and this school seemed the best opportunity to do so.

…

The good thing about being the heiress of a multi-billion dollar empire was that any decision she made would just have to be accepted.

She never abused this power, being raised to put the family and company’s interests first like her predecessors, so it took all of her nerve to broach the topic with Frederic.

Namely, her leaving Key City and Chou Industries in the hands of the board while she went off to a university full of girls who could bend time and the elements, fly, and probably speak to animals. Or was that Disney World?

“When you took longer than usual after asking to be left alone, I knew something was up,” her butler said from the facetime screen, wiping a tea tray with vigor. “Whether you had decided something monumental or been abducted by aliens, however, I was unsure of.”

She chuckled. Trust Frederic to continue giving no fucks at the end of the world as long as the cutlery was spotless.

“I’m okay. Mostly.”

He lifted a brow. “Mostly? Are those double decker furnishings not up to feather count speed?”

She turned to the bunks behind her. “They’re perfectly fine.”

“Then out with it, Miss. These cups aren’t going to clean themselves.”

She realized she couldn’t lie to the one person she trusted in the world, so she took a breath. “You have to swear not to tell a soul.”

He put the towel down and focused on the screen. “You should know by now that’s a given, Miss Chou.”

And so she told him everything: about meeting the supers, being involved in last night’s events, her newfound powers she couldn’t yet control. She told him about the school and her plans. She told him she missed her parents.

He remained silent the entire time and she gave a shaky exhale upon finishing, her eyes glistening.

After a few moments, he cleared his throat and replied, “Well, that was quite the birthday, I dare say. I’m glad to hear you’re alright. I’m only sorry you missed your cake, it was chocolate in all its glory and decadence.”

She looked up. “You don’t think this is crazy or that I’m a freak?”

He spoke candidly. “Miss Chou, I wouldn’t care if you turned into a vampire or were accused of a hundred scandals. I swore an oath to your parents to be responsible for what was most precious to them in the whole world. I may not know much about these superheroes or what your family history holds, but I do know that your parents would be proud of the woman you have become.”

A tear ran down her cheek. Frederic continued.

“Now, if this is the direction your heart is leading you, then go. I’ll prepare your things for sending. The estate, Chou Industries, Gucci, and the hamsters will be here for you when you decide it’s time to come back.”

She smiled in gratitude. “Thank you, Fred.”

He returned the smile with pride. “I hope you find what you’re looking for out there, Miss. _Hwaiting!_ ”

…

“So you’re the human.”

Tzuyu whirled around to find two girls giving her curious looks. One with short black hair waved.

“Hey, I’m Chaeyoung. Or Strawberry Princess, whichever.”

The other girl flashed a blinding smile. “Hi! I’m Dahyun.”

“I’m Tzuyu.”

“We know!” Dahyun replied, smile still plastered on her face. It was both unsettling and charming at the same time.

“Easy on the new girl,” Chaeyoung jabbed before plopping on a giant beanbag. “Welcome to the School Meal Club!”

Tzuyu scrunched her brows. “School Meal…?”

Chaeyoung sat up. “Oh yeah! Speaking of meals, have you eaten yet, Tzuyu-yah?”

Truth be told, she could’ve used some of that birthday cake. She shook her head.

“We haven’t either,” said the blonde freshman. “Let’s get it!”

…

They walked the halls, the two girls giving her a tour of everything they passed. Students strolled arm in arm around them in variations of navy and white blouses, jackets, skirts, and knee highs. On their uniforms was a crest in the school colors of some goddess lady, a golden key, and the motto _In Aurea Civitate_.

“Did summer classes begin?” Tzuyu asked.

“Most students live here year-round since we don’t really have anywhere else to go. A lot of us were found in the middle of a crappy situation because our powers don’t mix well with the rest of the world, so this is our safe place. The ones from super families go home on occasion, but come right back to train,” Chaeyoung replied. “We’re always training. It’s the only way to make this work with girls like us.”

Dahyun nodded. “It’s for the best. For both us and humans.”

They crossed a sprawling lawn where crowds of girls chatted animatedly among each other.

One morphed into a replica of the girl beside her causing a ruckus with their friends, another made electric spark formations with her hands to hoots and applause. A girl sprung down the side halls, barely missing the ceiling, and bounded over another fast asleep in front of her locker.

“This is the high school part of campus. We have elementary too,” Chaeyoung told her.

“Me and Chaeng grew up here,” Dahyun said with a wistful smile.

“You sappy fuck.”  
“Hey!”

Tzuyu watched as the two started punching each other like clowns. She wondered what it would have been like to grow up with a best friend other than your butler.

Chaeyoung slung an arm over her shoulder. “You don’t talk much, do you?”

She chuckled at the unexpected contact. “Not a whole lot.”

“That’s a good trait to have.”

…

They moved indoors and through an arch where they were greeted with an overture of noise. They had made it to the cafeteria.

Tzuyu gazed around the wide airy space at long wooden tables, gleaming from the sunlight through walls made of glass that showcased the surrounding landscape of trees and the mountains in the distance. Jungle-like plants dotted the room and vines swirled around supporting columns. There were areas with cushioned chairs where students sat taking sips of coffee or tea on short tables made of tree trunks.

There were skylight windows spanning the length of the tall ceiling that seemed to move, and upon closer inspection Tzuyu realized they held pool lanes with girls in swimsuits and goggles doing freestyle strokes to and fro. No one below batted an eye as they continued chatting over their plates, glasses of orange juice and stacks of pancakes floating between people.

The food was served on elegant trays at buffet tables, new trays being brought out by women in white aprons and toque blanche hats. Momo was right about the brunch menu - it was everything.

Crispy bacon, steaming buttered croissants, Belgian waffles topped with strawberries, smoked salmon and bagels, eggs of every variety, dim sum baskets. There was even a chocolate fountain at the dessert bar.

“Welcome to our world,” Chaeyoung smiled.

They sat at one of the long tables with their first helpings and Tzuyu sipped with content at her chocoaemong box. Chaeyoung and Dahyun began pointing out the different groups in the cafeteria.

Tzuyu saw a familiar face. “I know her!”

Dahyun looked over. “Irene sunbaenim?”

Tzuyu nodded. “She healed me on the ship.”

“Yeah, she’s a healer and lieutenant of Red Squad. She’s older than most of us in university but your year is based on when you enrolled at the academy. If you’re 18 and older when you enter, then you start freshman year of college,” Chaeyoung explained.

“Different departments are in charge of different squadrons and not everyone is in one. You have to pass a trial to do superhero duty,” added Dahyun. “Red Squad is under the SM department a.k.a. Solar Magic.”

“They specialize in studying the sun’s energy because supers get their magic from the sun. That’s why we have so many windows and lots of light. That’s why Irene sunbaenim is our best healer.”

_Don’t waste the magic, the sun is setting._

It was beginning to make sense.

Chaeyoung pointed to the super called Wanda. “That’s Wendy sunbaenim. She controls the weather with the wind and makes sure it’s always sunny here and rainy in Key City.”

“It’s to protect the city by keeping bad supers from full strength, and from locating us because signals won’t work through the rain,” said Dahyun.

Except somehow it was sunny yesterday on her birthday and it wasn’t Wendy’s doing. Everything was back to _not_ making sense.

Four girls entered the cafeteria and headed towards them.

“Pink Squad,” Chaeyoung smiled, sharing a wave with Rosé.

“It’s Chaeyoung and Chaeyounger!” Future called, making Lisa giggle.

Rosé laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, you can just call me Rosie or Rosé to save confusion.”

Future grinned at Tzuyu. “I’m Jisoo unnie. You know Lalisa. This is Jennie-yah.”

Solo remained silent and just nodded.

“Catch you later, Chaeng,” the other Chaeyoung said after a beat, and the four went to sit next to Red Squad.

Dahyun gave a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, Jennie sunbaenim’s a little intimidating. She _is_ the Ice Queen.”

“She might hit you with that ddu-du ddu-du,” Chaeyoung shivered.

Dahyun motioned at another group beside the two squads. “Neon Squad. People call them (G)I-DLE, because they’re Gs even when idle. They’re close to Pink Squad though so they’re pretty nice.”

“It's just too bad they’re under Cube department, which is the _worst_ ,” noted Chaeyoung, to which Dahyun agreed.

They continued people-watching until Tzuyu noticed the girls from the high school quad enter. They had changed into their uniforms, making them seem quite classy and elegant. They looked like girls from a private international princess school that were offered to become superheroes.

“Violet Squad. The kids,” Chaeyoung listed. “Maknae is 14 but is a giant.”

“Literally,” Dahyun added.

Chaeyoung greeted one of the girls, “Hey Chaeyeon-ah!”

Behind them a short girl jumped around, her blue-tipped hair extending like whips, and the School Meal Club whooped. “Megan!!!”

Chaeyoung called to one of the taller girls, “Chaeyoungest!”

Tzuyu watched in confusion. She had found herself in a school full of Super Chaengs.

“And that’s Yellow Squad,” Dahyun said. “Like Violet Squad, we try not to send them out since they’re young, but they’re very… enthusiastic. The nine of them keep promising to grow into the best superheroes, so we call them fromis_9.”

There was a sudden hush and Tzuyu looked up to see everyone in the cafeteria turn to the entrance.

Three girls strode in with linked arms, wearing matching navy plaid skirts, crisp blue button downs, and black ties. Whereas Violet Squad made the academy uniforms seem classy and elegant, these girls wore theirs like royalty.

Students stood and flocked around them with _ooh ahhs_ and praise, and the three nodded politely the whole way.

Her new friends gazed in awe and Tzuyu could swear hearts were popping out of Chaeyoung’s eyes.

“It’s the Holy J-Trinity,” Chaeyoung breathed. “There’s Momo sunbae, Sana sunbae, and… _Mina sunbae_ …”

She recognized the names and turned towards the front just as the trio passed and found herself face to face with a set of purple eyes.

They stared at each other for a suspended moment during which Tzuyu realized it was the first time she had seen the older girl without her mask on. Her long blonde hair framed high cheek bones and a quizzical look that made Tzuyu remember running in the gardens of her childhood catching dragonflies in the twilight.

_I don’t believe in magic.  
You will, when you see her._

The girl looked away and continued walking with her two companions, leaving Tzuyu acutely aware of a drumming in her chest. As the crowd covered the three from view, Tzuyu couldn’t help one thought from surfacing:

Sana sunbaenim was the prettiest girl she had ever seen.

…

“Why are they called the Holy J-Trinity?” she asked feigning interest, though her eyes were still on the three at the buffet tables.

Apparently, so were Chaeyoung’s.

Dahyun chuckled and replied, “Their fans - which is basically the whole academy - call them that or just J-line, since they go way back from Japan. They’ve always referred to themselves as MiSaMo though.”

“Sana likes to be in the middle,” Chaeyoung winked.

Tzuyu was intrigued. The trio seemed different without their masks than the supers she had met the night before. “Why is J-line so popular?”

Chaeyoung smirked. “Ah, young padawan. Aside from being the best supers in the academy that aren’t lieutenants, whose powers are pretty much indispensable to the success of recent missions…”

Dahyun began reciting with a lifted brow. “Their average height is 164cm. They’re all beautiful, talented, and friendly.”

Chaeyoung switched off with her School Meal Club partner. “And they all excel at their respective activities at K.P.O.P.”

“Momo sunbae is an expert in dance and can eat a tray of jokbal in less than 3 minutes. Sana sunbae might seem clumsy, but don’t let that fool you - she’s an expert markswoman. Mina sunbae is a musical genius and can play the cello like nobody’s business,” Dahyun continued.

“She played in Hans Zimmer’s World Tour at the age of 8.”

“They can speak at least 3 languages.”

“Word in the hallways is that their hair is insured for $10,000.”

“Momo sunbae punched me in the face once. It was awesome.”

“She punched you in the face?” Tzuyu looked horrified.

Dahyun smiled dreamily. “It was an accident.”

“Girls love them and the few who don’t always want to prove they’re better than them.”

Tzuyu shook her head. “People challenge them?”

Chaeyoung leaned in and squinted her eyes. “At _dueling_.”

“You guys have duels?”

Dahyun nodded with all seriousness. “Dueling is an international super sport that’s traditional, elegant, and civilized. It requires skill and teamwork.”

“We haven’t lost since J-line joined the academy’s team.”

“To who?”

“Other super schools, of course,” Chaeyoung replied.

Tzuyu’s eyes widened. “This isn’t the only one?”

“Nope. We’re the oldest but there’s one in every continent.”

“Every spring, the seven schools compete in the Dueling World Cup.”

“This year was amazing,” Chaeyoung reminisced with a dimpled smile. “I’m sorry that you missed it.”

A new voice chimed in and the freshmen glanced up to find dark brown eyes examining them behind eyeglasses and jet black bangs.

“Do I hear our maknaes showing an interest in dueling!”

They stared open-mouthed as the older girl was joined by another with a charming constellation of moles on her features, and one with blonde hair and the sunset in her eyes.

The whole cafeteria’s attention honed in on their little corner. J-line began fidgeting with their food trays waiting for a reply and Tzuyu checked her periphery to note that the School Meal Club were frozen in a state of panic.

She cleared her throat and uttered, “Dahyun unnie and Chaeyoung unnie were just telling me about dueling because I didn’t know…it existed, sunbaenim.”

Momo grinned. “Well, we have practice on Monday! You guys should drop by.”

Tzuyu had no intention of dueling anyone, least of all her elders and more experienced supers. She needed to focus on figuring out her place in the world first, not participate in super sports. She began shaking her head when another voice cut in.

“I don’t think she should,” Sana said bluntly, directing her stare at Tzuyu.

Tzuyu blinked. The brightness and warmth she recalled on an empty building floor were nowhere to be found.

“She just got here,” Sana continued. “Her powers aren’t stable yet and she could hurt someone.”

She gripped her tray and stalked off, leaving Momo to shrug apologetically before following in confusion.

Mina walked up and placed the iced americano from her tray in front of Tzuyu, tilting her head.

“It’ll be okay,” she said with a gentle smile and shining mint green eyes. “You’ll see.”

She gave a wave to Chaeyoung and Dahyun, then was off to join the others.

Tzuyu became aware of eyes around her screaming in disapproval once the trio left and began to sweat. She ducked her head and suddenly missed being homeschooled.

After what felt like the longest meal of her life, the two freshmen suggested they return to the dorm and she stood in a blur, trying not to pay attention to the stares and whispers of _new girl_ and _human_ as they exited.

Chaeyoung and Dahyun gave her encouraging smiles as they helped set up her bunk and left her to have some space which she was grateful for, and she laid staring at the bottom of the bunk overhead.

Maybe she didn’t belong here.

She turned and closed her eyes, a tear rolling onto the covers as she pulled them over her face. She slept the whole day.

…

The fog had just lifted and she looked through the window as the last of the stars bid their farewell. A faint glow on the horizon reflected the gradient of the sky in her eyes and she smiled at the view.

_Perfect_ , she thought and headed out with her duffel slung over her shoulder.

She packed more than usual but her steps never slowed as she made her way past the field behind the dormitories, down Clearview, Big Neck Ridge, past Salle Lake, where she used to swim as a kid.

The early morning breeze sifted through her long blonde hair as she flashed her transceiver light twice in hello and threw a wave at the lighthouse keeper on Nida Island. Then the symphony began as the birds flew above - cormorants, herring gulls, big colorful auks.

The first light of dawn hit her and she headed north as the rocks opened up to the bay. She was sprinting now and gave a breathy laugh when she stumbled a bit but made it to her favorite spot. The sun was out and she opened her duffel. She took out her gear and began setting up her markers.

It was a perfect day for training.

..

_Pewwww!_

She relaxed her stance and took off her visor. She glanced at the target.

_Bullseye._

She exhaled and nodded to herself, and went to get her water.

She walked to the edge of the cliff where the grass ended and the rocks began, and looked out at the bay. The sun was still angled in the sky and split the land into a panorama of faded blue and glistening marigold.

She loved being out here in the morning, where light and shade created new worlds before her. She took a breath and stilled, leaving only wisps of blonde hair daring to fly.

She thought of her and hoped that she was out there in one of those beautiful places.

An ache grew in her head. The wind ruffled the grass at her feet and leaves flew into the bay over fishing boats migrating towards the ocean. Everything moved on, leaving her behind.

“Knew you’d be out here.”

She gave a smile to the girl who stopped beside her. “Am I that predictable?”

The shorter girl smirked and stuffed her hands in her vest pockets, her yellow eyes squinting out at the view. “You’re the only one who enjoys falling on her face at the ass crack of dawn in front of the entire bay.”

She smacked the girl’s shoulder. “Jihyo-yah!”

The girl laughed, “You know it’s true.”

“I didn’t fall on my face today.”  
“Impressive.”

They quieted and surveyed the horizon. Jihyo spoke up.

“From now on, we live in a world where people born as humans turn into supers. It’s not a miracle. They just decided to do it.”

Sana hummed and continued watching the bay.

“Heard you scared the freshmen yesterday.” Jihyo glanced at her. “You don’t like them?”

“I don’t like _her_ ,” she murmured.

Jihyo snorted and shook her head. She faced her friend, hands on her hips. “Chou Tzuyu? You seemed fond of her the other day. And you just met her, how do you know you don’t like her?”

Sana sighed and walked away. “I came here to train, not get interrogated this early.”

Jihyo called out after her, “This is about Saram, isn’t it? Not Tzuyu.”

The blonde stopped and lowered her head. Jihyo put a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

Sana sniffed. “You’re right. I _am_ that predictable.”

Jihyo reached around and hugged her with a reassuring smile. “And I thought I was the one that loved crying. You’re okay, Sana-yah.”

She chuckled and wiped her eyes. “You do cry a lot for a lieutenant.”

“Ha, very funny.”

Jihyo helped pack her things and they headed back. They arrived in front of Blue Squad dormitory when Jihyo paused and gave her a look.

“What?”

“I’m serious, though, Sana-yah,” she said softly. “I know it’s only been a year, but you can’t keep pushing people away.”

“I don’t push you guys away.”

“I’m talking about new people. I’ve seen how you close yourself off. Saram wouldn’t have wanted this. Not when we have to work together with a new incoming class and lives are at stake.”

Sana’s face dropped but she kept her composure. She thought about the sunset that day, how it seemed like the sky was burning and raining ashes. How she believed she had seen hell, and that it was white, snow white.

She remembered blue eyes eyes giving her a pointed gaze before closing their last, and knew that Jihyo was right. She nodded.

Jihyo looked down. “I miss her too. We all do.”

“She was my best friend,” she said, before stepping inside and heading to the showers.

…

“Tzuyu-yah! Time to wake up!”

She rubbed at her eyes. Squinting at the light in the room, she saw two faces peering down at her.

“Time for Squads Training!” Chaeyoung sang.

A blue tracksuit was thrown at her as she sat up.

“Let’s get it!” Dayhun cheered, marching out in her tracksuit.

They walked the grounds, the lawns glistening in the morning sun. She peered up at the academy’s tan stone walls and studied the cathedral-like windows and teal roof with their old world charm.

They arrived at a field where groups sporting different colored tracksuits were stretching and jogging. Girls wearing a tracksuit variation with black pants stood in front, holding clipboards. If Tzuyu didn’t know any better, she could have sworn it was a soccer meet.

As they headed toward the others in blue, she noticed the groups from yesterday.

Blue, Pink, Red, Neon, Violet, and Yellow Squads were all in attendance, including others in black and white that she didn’t know.

“Took you guys long enough,” Jeongyeon said, looking up from her clipboard. The freshmen gave hurried bows in apology.

“I’m just kidding.” Jeongyeon laughed, then turned serious. “Or am I?”

“She’s just kidding,” Momo chuckled, and the two high fived.

Mina shook her head at the two and smiled at the new arrivals. “Alright, let’s line up. Lt. Park should be here any—”

There was a gust of wind and they watched as two lieutenants were flown over by Red Squad’s Wendy. Lt. Park Jihyo flew past them and drifted around the grass, stopping cleanly in the center of the field with nary a hair out of place. Tzuyu lifted her brows in amazement.

Everyone stood at attention as the lieutenants lined up. Jihyo stepped forward, her face firm, and addressed the incoming freshmen.

“Welcome to K.P.O.P. Academy’s Squadron Training! I will be in charge of shaping your asses up so you won’t be an embarrassment to the title of super. Your officers call me Lt. Park Jihyo. _You_ may refer to me as God.”

Chaeyoung snorted at the nickname and Dahyun jabbed her. Lt. Park faced them but stood in front of Tzuyu, who was caught in the middle of the two freshmen.

“Chou Tzuyu!” the lieutenant called.

“Yes, um..God..ma’am,” she stuttered.

“Not anymore,” Lt. Park announced. “Your name is Chewy. And when God speaks, Chewy, you listen.”

She stood with her eyes wide. “Yes, Lt. God Jihyo.”

A small smile formed at the edge of the lieutenant’s mouth and she left towards the other groups. Tzuyu breathed in relief.

“Scares the living daylights out of me,” Dahyun said.

Tzuyu looked at her. “Lt. Park?”

“Yeah, glad she’s on our side.”

“Mhmm,” Chaeyoung nodded.

Tzuyu observed the lieutenant, stern-faced but bright-eyed, and couldn’t help but agree. For the first time, the entire School Meal Club was totally in sync.

…

The captains arrived after they had grouped all the freshmen together. Tzuyu tried to be nonchalant, but couldn’t help looking over at her squad’s captain.

The blonde’s face was focused and never on her, but she could still see the glint reflecting off the girl’s purple eyes.

“Why does everyone have different eye colors?” she asked Chaeyoung, noting her friend’s red eyes.

“Supers’ eyes glow in the sunlight because sun, powers, yeah. It’s inherent with super genes, and like fingerprints, it’s all different shades of the rainbow,” the girl replied.

“How come Momo sunbaenim’s was a normal brown in the cafeteria?”

Dahyun grinned, eyes white in the sun. “She was wearing glasses, wasn’t she?”

“I thought it was for fashion…” she trailed off.

Chaeyoung laughed. “Humans know supers’ eyes glow different colors, so we always wear sunglasses or eyeglasses when in public to disguise them and keep our cover if we’re not in super suit. It’ll show as normal eye colors like brown or black instead. Momo sunbae probably went out for a quick errand.”

“Even though eye color is inherent, it can change later on,” Dahyun added.

“Mine was yellow green like Jeongyeonnie’s, because she’s my sister,” Chaeyoung said. “Now it’s red.”

Dahyun continued explaining, “It can change to the same color as someone you’re attuned to, so family and close romantic relationships can change colors to be similar to each other, but can change back if the bond is broken. For family, it changes when you move away from home. The eldest usually ends up with the family color.”

Tzuyu nodded, adding it to her mental file on supers that was growing at an exponential rate.

“Chaeng! You’re up!”

The red eyed girl shuddered and turned to Jeongyeon, who was smirking at her.

“Ease up, sis. It’s just practice,” Jeongyeon chuckled as Chaeyoung sighed and went to the front, shoulders slumped.

Red Squad Captain Kang Seulgi stood in front of the freshman, sizing her up. Dahyun shuffled anxiously and Tzuyu watched in suspense as the captain stuck out her fist.

“This isn’t gonna end well,” Dahyun murmured, shaking her head.

“What’s happening?” she asked as Chaeyoung raised her fist.

Dahyun covered her eyes. “She _always_ picks scissors first.”

“Hana, dul, set—” Cpt. Kang called, throwing out a rock.

Sure enough, Chaeyoung did not disappoint. _Scissors_.

Dahyun facepalmed.

“Looks like Seulgi unnie goes first,” Jeongyeon chirped.

Dahyun picked up a safety helmet off the ground and proceeded to snap it on as the two took their spots. She glanced at her. “Tzuyu, helmet.”

“What..?” She watched in confusion as everyone else put helmets on. The two in front prepared their stances.

“HELMET!” Dahyun yelped.

Tzuyu threw hers on just as a piercing shriek echoed throughout the field, making her press further on the sides that covered her ears.

She gaped wide-eyed as Seulgi emitted another sonic blast and averted her eyes to Chaeyoung in worry - only to see the shorter girl do the craziest dodge maneuver to escape the blast.

She had to hand it to her, Chaeyoung had great reflexes.

“You’re supposed to defend with your powers, not run away!” Jeongyeon scolded.

Her younger sister huffed, “You’re not the one facing oblivion for breakfast!”

“You can do it, Chaeyoung-ah,” Mina reassured, flashing a smile.

Tzuyu noticed her fellow freshman stiffen and give an awkward thumbs up to the older girl. She returned to her spot, this time with a serious expression on her face.

“She’s so whipped,” Dayhun noted in amusement.

Another wave made them hold onto their helmets once more, but this time Chaeyoung raised her hands in response, lifting several helmets from the ground to form a wall and shielding herself from the blast.

Jeongyeon hooted. “Good job, Chaengie!”

Chaeyoung walked back amidst cheers wearing a cheeky smile. Mina had patted her on the shoulder.

Nayeon blew her whistle. “High school, you’re next!”

Violet, Yellow, and Black Squads made their way to the front, hyping each other up.

“Come on, girls, get on the floor!” cheered one with a blonde bob.

“Hey! One at a time.” Nayeon shooed them away from the field markers.

One of the taller girls in a yellow tracksuit pouted. “Aww, Lieutenant, we just wanna have some fun!”

“FUN!” the other girls in yellow echoed.

Nayeon placed a hand on her forehead and sighed. “Teenagers… just the worst.”

Jisoo laughed. “Alright guys, let’s listen to Lt. Im. Yellow Squad Gyuri-yah and Violet Squad Hyewon-ah first.”

A tall girl that was the spitting image of the Pink Squad lieutenant moved forward. They even had the same smile.

“Jisoo sunbae’s little sister,” Dahyun told her.

“The lieutenants _love_ picking on their dongsaengs,” Chaeyoung muttered.

The Violet Squad member stood opposite wearing such an innocent expression that Tzuyu couldn’t believe she was a super.

Chaeyoung tilted her head. “She kinda looks like you, Tzuyu-yah.”

Tzuyu studied the girl who was now creating electric sparks with her hands. She thought she looked kinda like Sana actually.

The two faced off, Hyewon sending a thunderbolt at Gyuri - the shapeshifter Tzuyu had seen on the quad - who turned into a human sized conduction rod, harnessing the electricity and sending it into the mountains.

“Black Squad, you’re up!” Nayeon called.

Two of the five in black tracksuits strode up exuding attitude and Tzuyu admired their confidence.

“Our actual kids,” Chaeyoung said. “They’re also in JYP department with us.”

One in black pigtails prepared her stance, lowering her head and giving a cheeky grin to her squadmate.

The other with pink hair shot a charming smirk back. “Keep your chin up, Yeji unnie.”

Yeji smiled good-naturedly. “I’m sorry, I don’t care.”

“Hadouken!” shouted the pink haired girl, throwing a blast of energy from her outstretched hands.

Yeji slid on the ground and ducked coolly out of the way. Both laughed as they high fived each other and returned to their squad.

“I thought you were supposed to defend with your powers?” Tzuyu asked.

“Yeji-yah’s power is telepathy, so she doesn’t have anything to retaliate with,” Dahyun said. “She read Ryujin-ah’s mind and knew where the hadouken was gonna go.”

“This is why we also carry weapons on missions, so the supers with support powers like Yeji-yah and Irene sunbaenim have offensive and defensive capabilities - also for range if your powers only affect a nearby radius.”

“And we use them only when we absolutely need to. We have a no-kill policy.”

That’s when it hit Tzuyu. This was getting real too fast.

_Her powers aren’t stable yet and she could hurt someone._

Yesterday, her biggest worry was the South Sector rebuild. Now it was about people’s lives.

She thought about her parents and if someone tried to save them from drowning. She wondered if they suffered. She remembered wandering into the library to find her father hunched over his desk, surrounded by shelves of multicolored books. She asked him,

_What are you doing, Dad?_

She saw his eyes as he said,

_Just little things._

She smiled and asked,

_Like dragonflies?_ He was the one who taught her how to catch them, after all.

He breathed and smiled at her,

_Yes, like dragonflies. Sometimes when I think about what big consequences come from little things like dragonflies, I am tempted to think there are no little things._

Tzuyu didn’t understand then, she was just turning 6. Now she thought about her decisions prior to this day - like what made her go after the robber who turned out to be a super, what made her say _Yeah, why not_ and _Okay, I’m in_ , what made her pick a pinstripe suit, why she cared so much about ice cream flavors.

“Chewy! You’re next!”

She glanced up and found herself surrounded by multicolored eyes. She froze.

Chaeyoung gave her a gentle push. “You got this!”

She didn’t think she got whatever this was.

She moved forward with trepidation and saw Sana studying her. _Now she decides to notice me when I don’t want to be noticed._

She stood inside the markers and saw her reflection in a puddle that had not yet dried in the sun. Her eyes were brown. She felt her throat thicken and gulped. _Get it together, Tzuyu._

Her opponent stood in place and Tzuyu looked up.

Purple eyes.

_Oh for fuck’s sake_. She almost laughed in irony, but knew she was already deep in shit. What did she do wrong in a past life that she had to face the scrutiny of this girl for all eternity?

The blonde had an expression on her face Tzuyu couldn’t read again, but this time there were no soft words. The girl just faded out of sight and the next thing Tzuyu knew, she was face down in the puddle.

“You have to do better. Arms up when you defend!” she heard Sana say.

She saw feet walk away as the crowd applauded in the background. Chaeyoung and Dahyun were giving her worried looks and mouthing something. _Get up, Tzuyu._

She saw her father picking a book from the library shelf. It was about a boxer.

She remembered them reading it together.

_He carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him_  
_I am leaving, I am leaving_  
_But the fighter still remains_

She pushed herself up and wiped off the mud. The cheers quieted and Sana watched her every move as she stood waiting in her markers.

Tzuyu took her spot and prepared a similar stance to the others she had seen earlier.

“Tzuyu-yah, hwaiting!” Dahyun whooped.

She remembered her father reading a quote at the end of the book.

_To be a great champion, you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are._

She liked the story and was sad when they placed the book back on the shelf. Her father looked at her and smiled.

_You must know when to let go of an old story if you are to write a new one, Tzuyu-yah. Now, which story shall we read next?_

She took a deep breath, met Sana’s eyes, and gave a nod. The captain nodded back and disappeared again.

Tzuyu stilled and felt the breeze. An arm appeared out of thin air and she engaged it, her footing sure.

Sana reappeared and looked at her in surprise through their locked arms.

“This is how we met,” she said in almost a whisper.

Tzuyu breathed and studied her eyes, seeing her own glowing blue inside them.

Sana dropped her arms and called out, “Concede.”

A whistle was blown and she could see the School Meal Club yelling _woohoo!_ , the rest of Blue Squad smiling at her, and everyone else looking on in amazement.

“Bravo, Tzuyu-yah.”

She looked at the girl in front of her. Her voice had softened and she wasn’t frowning at Tzuyu. It felt like déjàvu.

“See you at dueling practice,” Sana said with a small smile before rejoining the officers.

Tzuyu went back to Blue Squad smiling. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately for someone who was not used to smiling much. As Chaeyoung and Dahyun congratulated her, she gazed out at the view of the mountains.

They had picked a new book.

_Everything so far has been prologue. Are you ready, Tzuyu-yah?_ her father asked.

_Yes!_ she announced.

_Alright, let’s go to the next page._

_Chapter one, page one._  
_Your story begins anew._

_..._

  



	3. LIKEY / PONYTAIL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was going to post this before I left for kcon LA last week but I didn’t get the time, so here it is now! I hope you likey :D
> 
> (If you’re interested in any of the groups at kcon I’ll be posting vids/photos this week on twitter!)
> 
> Here's this chapter's [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7LI75jKOTUsYrqyCtzysI6?si=js0iy2JVTSmheemWETvCXQ)
> 
> Dahyun & her sunglasses was inspired by this [tweet](https://twitter.com/TwiceDosis/status/1150934671087341570?s=20)  
> Blue Squad trial was inspired by Twice’s I Want You Back MV  
> Quotes at the start from the chapter title songs: Likey & Ponytail
> 
> x

... 

_Oh wait, wait  
I’m finally getting something from you_

_Somebody say nobody cares  
In my dark heart, there is sunshine_

…

There was an old legend passed down among the fishermen of Geum Yoil about the East Mountains. They say that when dawn rises over the highest point you can see the Valkyrie on their white horses, charging like a crystal current in a final toboggan towards earth.

She had studied the mountains many times over the years but had yet to see any horses, just snow. Maybe those fishermen needed to get out of town more.

“Everyone should have legends, I think. It allows us to dream.”

She turned to the girl putting her gear away and chuckled. “You’re too pure for this world, Mina-yah.”

“Classical Mythology is nice.” The girl looked at her with bright mint green eyes.

Sana smiled and shook her head, shoving her things into her duffel. “Ye Olde Faithful. Thanks for training with me today.”

Her water bottle leaked and she tossed it out with a yelp. Mina picked it up, secured the cap, and placed it neatly into the bag.

“What would you do without me?” A gummy smile. “And that’s Classical Lit, unnie.”

“Whatever.”

Mina laughed. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

“Okay, Shakespeare.”  
“Arigato, honey.”

…

“Has anyone seen my sunglasses?” one Dahyun said, half inside a deep drawer.

Chaeyoung walked out of the bathroom, a towel levitating around her. “Are you going into town?”

The four Dahyuns in the room all turned at the same time. “No.”

Chaeyoung waved her hand and a hairbrush flew over. “Then why do you need them?”

Another Dahyun sighed. “Dueling practice is today. Momo sunbae is gonna be there.”

“There’s the real Dahyunnie,” the shorter girl told Tzuyu, who was fixing her uniform tie in the mirror and still getting used to acquiring a horde of new roommates at any given time.

“Sunglasses won’t protect you if Momo sunbae punches you again,” Chaeyoung continued.

“Aha!” Dahyun lifted a pair of round black sunglasses into the air and put them on. She smiled at them, looking absolutely ridiculous. “It’s not for that. I’m planning on watching Momo sunbae practice today.”

The School Meal Club stared at her with blank expressions.

“But staring at the sun for too long can hurt my eyes,” Dahyun shrugged, walking out of the room.

…

They sat in the gardens for Introduction to Horticulture, Tzuyu’s first class of the summer semester, as Professor Lee Sunmi lectured them on plant production.

“Things will be stirring below in the dark,” the professor said, patting the earth around a freshly planted flower. “The sun’s warming them.”

Tzuyu thought the curriculum would revolve around lessons on superpowers and the big questions, like to cape or not to cape - but here she was patting her own flower bed. It felt human, almost.

“Now these won’t grow up in a night,” said Professor Sunmi. “You’ll have to wait for them.”

“She’s so great,” said the freshman from Red Squad, her violet eyes reminding Tzuyu of another set with a similar hue.

“Is Professor Sunmi your bias, Yeri?” Dahyun asked.

The girl laughed nodding then whispered, “But don’t tell Professor Taeyeon that.”

“Alright, class.” Professor Sunmi stood up. “We can leave these pretty here for now. Don’t forget your assignments.”

Tzuyu looked down at the sad stem below her, bent and flimsy. Calling it “pretty” was very optimistic.

…

They met up with Chaeyoung as she exited her art class, paint splotches all over her jacket.

“Ah, Chaeng-casso!” Dahyun spread against the lockers and wiggled her eyebrows. “Paint me like one of your french girls.”

Chaeyoung showed them her canvas. “Yeah, if you want to look like a strawberry.”

“Well. They’re sweet right?”

Chaeyoung sighed and walked next to Tzuyu. “You ready for your first dueling practice?”

“Mmm, not really.”

Chaeyoung glanced up at her. “What? Why? Sana sunbae even invited you!”

She pursed her lips. “I still have to pass Blue Squad trial… along with getting used to everything.”

“You don’t have to do any of this if you don’t want to, Tzuyu-yah,” Dahyun offered.

“I know.” She looked at the two of them. “But you’re my only friends here. I don’t want to leave.”

Chaeyoung grinned. “Chewy, I didn’t know you were such a softy.”

Dahyun smiled. “You, me, and Chaeng are the School Meal Club now, Tzuyu-yah. Even if you moved to another country, we’d still be family. It wouldn’t be complete without you.”

Chaeyoung nodded in agreement and Tzuyu’s heart stirred at the word _family_.

“I just met you guys two days ago,” she wondered. “Why are you so nice to me?”

Chaeyoung looked at her with a sober expression. “Because we know what it’s like growing up in a world that wasn’t nice to us.”

“And whatever you’re going through right now, us supers are probably the only the ones that do understand,” Dahyun added. “So we have to stick together.”

She chuckled. “I doubt all supers are this nice though.”

“Maybe not,” Chaeyoung shrugged as they reached the dorm. “But me and Dahyunnie have learned that you’ve got to go into things whole heart or don’t do it at all.”

“But why me?” she asked, following them inside where they changed into their tracksuits.

Dahyun looked up at her. “You know how you don’t talk much?”

“Yeah…”

Chaeyoung smiled. “Well, growing up you always have everybody telling you what to do, when really what you need is space to figure out who to be.”

Dahyun patted her on the shoulder. “So we figured you were a good one, Tzuyu-yah.”

…

They sat on the bleachers under the tall ceiling of the academy’s gymnasium joined by groups of wide-eyed girls in tracksuits and others in uniform exchanging excited whispers.

Others were not so quiet and Tzuyu lifted her brows at the bits she overhead.

“I was in the library and saw Sana sunbaenim! She’s, like, this tall. She looked at me and saw a tag sticking out the back of my school jacket. She tucked it back in and said, ‘Now you’re perfect’!”

“She called you _perfect_???”  
“Oh my God, I’m so jealous.”  
“Don’t take Jihyo sunbaenim’s name in vain, Eunice!”  
“How did you survive??”

“I would die on a battlefield for Minatozaki Sana.”

Tzuyu thought that was just ridiculous. They looked too young to have ever been on a battlefield that wasn’t the school yard at recess. But it did make her think about what she couldn’t figure out about the Blue Squad captain.

Sana had been nice to her at times, yet other times she was completely indifferent to Tzuyu’s existence. Tzuyu had wondered if this was normal - but it seemed that to everyone else, Sana’s superhero call sign checked out. It frustrated her, though she would keep this to herself like she did everything else.

Instead she asked, “Everyone really likes Sana sunbaenim, don’t they?”

“Yep,” Chaeyoung answered. “And they all want to date her.”

Tzuyu felt a twinge in her chest. She told herself it was… fine… that Sana had so many admirers, that this was just some acid reflux. She did drink a lot of coffee today, and it wasn’t because she was anxious about dueling practice or Sana or anything. She just wanted to be ready.

Besides, she didn’t like Sana sunbaenim like that. Sana was just another girl who just happened to be super captain, super cool, and the prettiest girl she had ever seen and—

“Jjirit jjirit. Earth to Tzuyu.”

She shook her head. “What?”

Chaeyoung laughed. “You just zoned out. Are you okay?”

“Yeah… I was just thinking about… coffee.”

The two eyed her with suspicion. “Okay.”

“J-line!” someone shouted, and everyone turned to see the three duelers enter with others in navy tracksuits and duffels.

Tzuyu watched them smile and nod at the spectators, Sana even throwing in a few waves and smirks at some girls who looked like they were about to faint and roll down the bleachers.

“NO SANA NO LIFE!” someone yelled, and cheers rang out as the dueling team settled in.

“This is just practice?” Tzuyu asked.

Dahyun nodded. “Wait till you see a real match!”

Other squad members soon arrived and made their way up the bleachers, the School Meal Club bowing as Blue Squad’s lieutenants joined them.

“Settling in okay?” Nayeon asked her.

“Yes, unnie, thank you.”

“Popcorn?” Jihyo asked them, holding out a bag. They even had soft drinks. Dueling seemed a serious affair.

Tzuyu noted some members of the high school squads on the floor. “Does the team include high school?”

“That’s our JV team,” Jihyo answered, tossing back a handful of popcorn. “They practice together.”

Nayeon pulled the bag away. “You’re gonna finish everything before practice even begins.”

“Unnieeee,” Jihyo whined and Tzuyu almost laughed. She thought about how intimidating these girls seemed the other day and was surprised to see this side of them.

The teams began stretching and Nayeon pointed out the roster.

“Momo and Sana are the team captains. Moonbyul unnie, Seulgi unnie, Mina, Soyeon, Lisa, and Yeri are the starters. Jeongyeon’s the keeper. Wheein, Joy, and Yuqi are the reserves. Jisoo-yah is head coach and Joohyunnie is the team medic.”

No wonder Sana was so popular. She was a super squad captain _and_ the dueling team captain? Sheesh. Leave some for poor Eunice over there.

“There are nine players on the field for each side,” Nayeon explained. “It’s like that human sport, what was it—”

Jihyo leaned over and whispered, “Soccer.”

“Ah, yes, ‘the beautiful game’,” Nayeon said, nodding with Jihyo. “Though I don’t know what could be more beautiful than Jeongyeon diving across the goal to make a spectacular save as the whistle blew at the World Cup—”

Jihyo scrunched her forehead. “Jeongyeon what?”

Nayeon’s eyes widened and her cheeks tinged pink. “Ah… anyway. Dueling is like soccer and but with three balls and… well, dueling.”

Jihyo, sensing Nayeon hiding her face behind the popcorn bag, continued explaining. “The formation is 3-3-2 plus the keeper.”

She drew a diagram on her clipboard.

  
“Three balls start in the middle of the field. When the match begins, the three players on the front line of each side battle for possession of a ball. They’re the attack line.

Whoever gets a ball continues to the next line of three players - the defense line - and tries to get past them. If they do, they can take a shot at goal.

The last two players are the support line, who do everything from help defend the goal, to help retain possession or attack.

As for the dueling part, you can use anything from your powers to your weapons on the ball.

You can have different strategies depending on your players’ powers and weapon skills. That’s where teams sub in and out from the reserves based on how to best counter the other team’s strategy.

If your team gains possession of all three balls on the field, you can make a power play. That’s when you can combine your powers for a super attack on goal.

If you score on a super attack, it’s called a touchdown because play has to stop to put up a new goal since it usually gets destroyed.”

“That’s very intricate,” Tzuyu noted.

“It is,” Jihyo nodded. “But that’s the fun of it. You never know what kind of composition the team’s gonna bring out.”

“Are you three trying out?” Nayeon asked.

Chaeyoung nodded and looked at Tzuyu with what she could only guess were an attempt at puppy eyes, making her blink and nod in reflex.

“Yay!” Nayeon clapped. “What about you, Dubu?”

Dahyun lifted her brows behind her sunglasses and pointed at herself. “Me?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, I’m just here for moral support, sunbaenim.”

…

Tzuyu found herself on the gym floor doing stretches with the other hopefuls. JV had already begun their practice session on the other side of the court with the girls trying out for the season.

She watched Professor Chung Ha, Head of Stone department and the JV team coach, look over a clipboard with JV’s captains, Violet Squad’s Eunbi and Yellow Squad’s Hayoung.

She learned from Chaeyoung that Jisoo sunbaenim came from a dueling family as her little sister Gyuri was one of the JV starters, and that Violet Squad was full of athletes, with Hitomi, Minju, Yujin, and Wonyoung all being starters.

Yeji and Ryujin from Black Squad were also starters, with Yena and Chaeyoungest rounding up the reserves, and Violet Squad’s Yuri as the team medic.

Equipment had been laid out on the floor including armor guards and… axes?? _Knives?? A hammer??_

Tzuyu gulped. No wonder they needed a team medic. She was beginning to regret Chaeyoung’s damn puppy eyes and wished she could have stayed being “moral support” with Dahyun.

She eyed a recurve bow on the floor with a bright red riser and sleek black limbs. It looked like a safe choice.

When they were told to choose their desired equipment, she made a beeline to the bow and picked it up along with a black quiver.

Chaeyoung had also opted for a bow and gave her chest and arm guards and a leather tab for her fingers. “Something tells me you’ve never held a bow before.”

“Nope,” she said grimly, tying the quiver around her waist.

Chaeyoung gave an encouraging smile. “It’s okay. I’m no good at it either.”

They practiced on the side, all of Tzuyu’s shots falling short or past the target, when JV and varsity began their scrimmage.

She watched as Jeongyeon took her spot in front of the goal and clapped her gloves together. Neon Squad’s Soyeon stood at center defense flipping a baseball bat around like a nunchuck. Lisa and Yeri joined her on either side, slinging what looked like colorful water guns the size of shotguns on their shoulders.

“Are those real?” she asked Chaeyoung.

“Oh, they’re real,” the girl nodded. “They only look like water guns, but they’re particle blasters and fire energy beams like lasers. They’re the same things we use on missions, though they’re not nearly as colorful.”

White Squad’s Moonbyul and Seulgi high-fived each other and jogged in place at the support line, Moonbyul sporting one of the particle blasters in a thinner and longer shape, Seulgi wielding two knives.

And, as she should have expected, J-line took their spots in front forming the team’s attack line. Momo held dual particle blasters the size of pistols at center. Mina stood at her right with similar blasters but in the shape of revolvers from long ago. And at front left stood Sana, holding a shiny black recurve bow, a black and pink quiver around her waist.

The scrimmage was a blur of figures - Momo dashing about, Hayoung leaping halfway across the court, Hitomi flipping between dueling lines - and torrents of fire, sonic blasts, and Soyeon’s supernovas that weakened but dissipated at Eunbi’s force fields.

Amidst all of this was a light show of energy beams from particle blasters, crisscrossing like lightsabers engaged in arcade pong.

Yujin _flew_ high above, overseeing the floor and mentally relaying the varsity’s front line movements to Yeji at the JV goal. Wonyoung got possession of a ball and grew seven times her size into a literal giant, making a rush to the varsity goal - only to be held back by a black hole vortex created by Moonbyul, causing Yujin to fly down in support.

The momentary gap in Yeji’s recon was utilized by J-line. Mina pirouetted, firing rhythmic blasts from her revolvers as Hayoung bounded overhead, shooting the ball out of the high school junior’s hands and into the air where an arrow from Sana’s bow hit it square in the middle, causing it to sail right into Momo’s hands, who then sprinted towards goal while evading Ryujin’s hadouken blasts.

Luckily for JV, Minju’s heightened senses were able to pinpoint the Sonic hedgehog that was Hirai Momo and she signaled to Gyuri, who morphed into a replica of Nayeon, causing the varsity captain to do a double take and slow down, wondering what in the world her Nayeonnie was doing in the middle of all this crossfire—

Giving Minju a clear shot with her arrow to hoots from the spectators for Gyuri’s cheeky play, as Coach Jisoo cracked up on the sidelines and Blue Squad laughed in the stands, pointing at the real Nayeon, who was bowing for the crowd.

Both sides called subs, sending White Squad’s Wheein and Violet Squad’s Yena into the fray. Yena made quick work of one of the balls, slashing it apart on accident with her claws and leaving herself open to Wheein self-detonating in the vicinity. The whistle blew as Yena held her hand on the floor, grimacing.

Wheein apologized, helping the high school junior sit up as Yuri hurried over with a worried face.

“Hey,” Yuri said in a soft voice as she opened Yena’s damaged hand. The metal claws extending from her knuckles were torn and smoking, her palm burned and showing flesh.

Yena tried to smile through a wince. “Hey, yourself.”

Yuri put her hand over her squad mate’s. There was an orange glow and Yena’s hand and claws looked like nothing ever happened to them.

She flexed her hand as Yuri watched her. She broke into a lopsided grin. “Thanks, Yuri-yah.”

Yuri gazed at her, smiling. “All in a day’s work for the team medic. You did good, Ducky.”

Eunbi stood over them with a smirk. “Do you guys wanna get a room… or let’s get back in the game?”

“Ha ha.” Yena stood, cheeks red.

Yuri gave one last smile before heading back to the sidelines and Wheein patted Yena on the back. “I ship it.”

The game resumed and the score was tied as the clock showed 20 seconds remaining. Jisoo called them in for a timeout.

She sketched a play on her clipboard. “What do you think, Sana-yah?”

Sana looked at the others and grinned. “I say we turn it up.”

“My thoughts exactly, Cap,” Soyeon smirked.

“Alright, hands in!” Momo told them.

“Shigana!”  
“10 9 8”  
“Dallyeo bwa!”  
“10 9 8 7 6”  
“Let’s go let’s go let’s go!”

The teams went back on the court. J-line quickly took possession of all three balls and the clock ticked down to 10 seconds, allowing for one final rush at goal.

The crowd held its breath as Lisa and Yeri fired blast after blast from their shotguns, creating a cloud of smoke over the attack line. JV grouped up in front of Eunbi’s force field.

_6 seconds._

Joy then created a wall of earth right next to the force field, causing JV’s captain to take it down and form another further up. The smoke cleared revealing J-line winking and giving waves, their hands empty.

Yeji panicked. “Where are the balls??”

_3 seconds._

Minju stilled and listened, then turned back and yelped, “They’re behind the wall!”

But it was too late.

Joy took down the wall, revealing tiny team medic Bae Joohyun tossing 3 balls together in the air and whipping out a bow and arrow.

_1 second._

The senior looked down her sights and let the arrow fly. It skewered all three balls, ripping them through the back of the net.

“TOUCHDOWN!”

The whistle blew and varsity ran into a group hug to the cheers of the crowd.

Tzuyu clapped. “Wow.”

So _this_ was dueling.

The rest of Blue Squad had joined them on the floor to congratulate the team and Jihyo called out, “Fun, right?”

She nodded.

The lieutenant smiled. “Told ya.”

“I didn’t know you could sub in the team medic! Where did Irene sunbaenim come from?” she asked.

“Joy’s pocket,” Nayeon answered, laughing.

…

Practice resumed with training the newbies, and it was just Tzuyu’s luck she picked the same weapon that Sana preferred, because she found herself standing in front of a target as the captain observed in silence.

Tzuyu watched as Chaeyoung fired an arrow that landed on an 8. She clapped as Sana nodded, Chaeyoung breathing in relief.

The blonde then faced her and Tzuyu took a breath.

She took an arrow from her quiver and drew it on her bowstring. She closed an eye, sights shaking into view. _Just shoot the yellow circle, Tzuyu. Not that hard. It’s yellow and in the center—_

_Phwooosh!_

Her arrow flew, arching into the air… into the opposite direction of the target - _thunk!_ \- and spiked on the floor by the bleachers, just missing Eunice & Co. who sat eyes wide as their life reeled before them.

She ducked her head with a _sorry_ as the gathering on the bleachers glared.

Sana teetered on the balls of her feet beside her and quirked her lip. “You know, people usually fire in the direction of the target and not… at the spectators.”

Tzuyu winced in embarrassment.

Sana took an arrow from Tzuyu’s quiver and took Tzuyu's hand, placing the fletching end into her palm. She then moved both onto the bowstring and drew the arrow with her.

Tzuyu felt a shiver run down her neck as Sana held her hand and the nock of the arrow in place as she fixed the freshman’s stance. Sana smelled like flowers.

“There. Are you gonna be able to hit the target now?” Sana chirped, big brown eyes looking up at her in nonchalance.

Tzuyu gave a nervous chuckle and nodded.

The blonde smirked and turned to Chaeyoung. “You’re in charge. Make sure she doesn’t kill anyone.”

…

“Oh, man. I don’t think I can do anymore…” Chaeyoung muttered, laying on the floor of the common room.

One Dahyun stepped over her. “What, dueling practice?”

The girl on the floor closed her eyes looking very pitiful and nodded. “It. Hurts.”

Another Dahyun hopped over. “That’s because you didn’t stretch, dummy. Tzuyu looks fine.”

Tzuyu shook her head on one of the couches. “It hurts too.”

“Tzuyu always looks fine. But deep down!” Chaeyoung threw a hand up in the hair in soliloquy. “She’s holding the same dark struggle coursing through our myocytes.”

Tzuyu chuckled. “…Thank you, unnie.”

Dahyun number three sighed. “You’re a fucking nerd, Chaeyoung.”

“Why, thank you.”

“Hey maknaes,” Jihyo walked in carrying groceries with Jeongyeon.

They got up and began helping the two put them away.

“What is this towel doing on the floor?” Jeongyeon asked. “ _Chaeng!_ ”

“It was only for two seconds!”

Jihyo chuckled and led Tzuyu out of the war zone that was the kitchen. They started fixing the cushions when Tzuyu noticed a photo on the wall of a younger J-line.

“Who’s this?” she asked, pointing to an older girl in the photo. Momo was grinning with a matching outstretched arm as the girl, Mina had her eyes closed with a gummy smile as the girl ruffled her hair, and Sana was hugging the girl around her neck from behind like a toddler in a playground, laughing brighter than Tzuyu had ever seen.

Jihyo looked at the photo with a sad smile. “That’s Saram unnie, an older Blue Squad member.”

“She was close with J-line sunbaenim?” Tzuyu asked.

Jihyo nodded. “Knew them since they were kids. She was their mentor and practically raised them, taught them all they know. They wanted to join Blue Squad because of her.”

“Where is she now?”

Jihyo pursed her lips and replied softly, “We lost her on a mission last year.”

“I’m sorry, unnie.”

Jihyo looked up at her. “She had blue eyes like you, too. You remind me of her sometimes.”

…

They arrived early and jogged in the training field, a cool breeze playing on their faces. The rest of Blue Squad soon strolled over, Momo zooming past them carrying a giggling Nayeon.

“Ah, it’s Blue Squad’s friendly neighborhood bottom, Hirai Momo,” Seulgi teased.

“Momo sunbae’s a bottom?” Dahyun asked.

The Speed Mochine deposited Nayeon on the grass laughing.

“Yep. She have the muscles but is a softy.”

The Red Squad captain went to join the other officers and Chaeyoung shrugged. “Looks like you’re gonna have to learn to top, unnie.”

Dahyun’s eyes widened. “Me?? Oh no, I don’t—”

The shorter girl patted her shoulder. “Be cool! I heard Momo sunbae likes cool girl types.”

Dahyun squinted. “What do you mean _cool girl types_? I’m cool!”

“Who likes cool girls?” Yeri asked, walking over with Yuqi and Shu Hua from Neon Squad.

“Ah. Nothing,” Dahyun flushed.

“Yeri’s cool,” Yuqi offered.

“No, I’m not.”

Yuqi pulled the Red Squad freshman’s hand up. “Yeah right. Nayeon sunbaenim gave her a freaking ‘friendship’ ring. You’re basically cool with all the officers!”

“It’s because of Joohyunnie, not me.”  
“Mhmm.”

“Yeri-yah, do you _like_ Nayeon sunbaenim?” Chaeyoung wiggled her brows.

Yeri had turned into a grape. “No!”

Shu Hua turned to Yuqi. “I told you everyone jumps for Nayeon sunbaenim like there’s no tomorrow.”

“Nayeon unnie is my friend!” Yeri spoke up. “Besides, everyone knows she’s been pining after Jeongyeon unnie since they were kids - sorry Chaeng.”

“No harm done. Just spare me the details.”

“Does your sister even know, Chaeyoung unnie?” Shu Hua asked.

Chaeyoung sighed. “She’s about as dense as this rock.”

“That’s too bad. She’s such a girl crush,” Yuqi smiled sadly, Shu Hua and Yeri nodding in agreement.

Tzuyu couldn’t believe they were having this conversation about their seniors, but then again she figured it was normal even among superheroes.

“Speaking of girl crush…” Yeri motioned to Pink Squad arriving.

They weren’t wrong, Tzuyu thought. She admired the way the four girls gave off their vibe effortlessly. Jennie sunbaenim might be the Ice Queen, but Tzuyu could see why she was still quite popular.

She had also noticed the Pink Squad junior walking the hallways with Nayeon and Irene, and Tzuyu liked both of the seniors very much, which made her think that deep down, Jennie sunbaenim wasn’t really an ice queen but perhaps just putting on a brave face to hide the things that hurt in life.

“Aren’t they all like a messy love quadrangle?” Shu Hua asked.

Yuqi pursed her lips. “Well, Minnie unnie accidentally let slip that Lisa unnie and Jennie sunbaenim have been on and off for a while now.”

“Really??” Chaeyoung looked to Yeri for confirmation.

The Red Squad freshman sighed. “Jennie unnie wanted to keep it on the down low but apparently the whole academy knows anyway.”

Yeri watched with a sad smile as Jennie and Lisa shared a look before walking in separate directions, Jennie going to the officers with Jisoo and Lisa heading in the other direction with Rosé.

She shook her head. “They’re a Song of Ice and Fire, those two.”

They continued watching as Lisa and Rosé joined Momo and Mina, Momo joking with Chaeyoung the elder and Mina smiling with Lisa as they looked around the field.

Chaeyoung’s face turned glum. “I don’t think I’m the only one who likes Mina sunbae though.”

Yeri hugged her. “Myoui Mina _is_ on everyone’s please be single list. But on the bright side, she _is_ still single.”

Chaeyoung heaved her shoulders. “Yeah, but I’m just a freshman and she’s, well… _Myoui Mina_.”

“Oh, Chaengie,” Dahyun sighed, joining Yeri and slinging an arm over her fellow School Meal Club member. “You’re more than _just_ a freshman.”

As the two were trying to hype the shorter girl up, Yuqi motioned, “Ah, Sana sunbaenim. What a busy professional flirt.”

Tzuyu turned and saw as Sana tugged at Jeongyeon’s tracksuit zipper and suddenly leaned her face in, lips puckered, causing Jeongyeon to evade quicker than Momo could say jokbal, stumbling away and clutching her collar in shock.

The blonde captain snickered and hid behind Nayeon, but not without tripping on a patch of grass before setting her chin on the lieutenant’s shoulder as Nayeon, unfazed, read out instructions.

_This_ was yesterday’s badass captain of the varsity dueling team?

“Does she like Jeongyeon sunbaenim?” she asked.

Yuqi shrugged. “Sana sunbaenim likes all types of girls.” The Neon Squad freshman then leaned in. “But I heard her cup of tea is youthful types…”

Tzuyu looked away, face neutral. “Is she dating anyone?”

“Who knows,” Yuqi replied. “She always has a string of suitors in front of her locker trying to confess.”

Shu Hua chuckled. “She probably dates like 8 girls at any given time.”

No wonder Sana liked being in the middle.

…

Jihyo lectured them today, walking back and forth accentuating the importance of things with lifted brows and a nod of the chin.

“The beginning is the time to make sure that you are in the proper frame of mind. This is something every super who’s been in the field knows. To begin your lesson on what it means to be a ‘super’, you must first understand where we came from.

The first record of preternatural activity on the Key Coast was in the 1200s, three centuries before Key City had even been founded. They called her ‘The Lady’ and she could create gold with the touch of a hand or even a breath.”

So the goddess on the school crest was real? Tzuyu thought it was all just myth.

They were put into pairs for training as Captain Kim Jennie taught them how to open with an attack. It was the most she’d heard the Pink Squad captain utter.

“An opening attack should open up your rib cage.” The captain breathed into a stance.

“It should reach in and twist your heart into a new order.” She closed her cat-like eyes and stilled.

“It should suggest that the world will never be the same again.” Her eyes fluttered open, glowing a haunting black, and she hurled a beautiful lattice of shimmering jagged ice from her hands that sliced a distant target cleanly in half.

The freshmen gaped in silence. One did not simply mess with Kim Jennie.

Jennie stood in front of them. “So attack elegantly. Attack fiercely, delicately, with surprise. Attack with everything at stake.”

They began sparring with their partners, Cpt. Kim’s words mixing with Lt. Park’s lecture in Tzuyu’s head.

“The people accused her of sorcery, as was the case in those days,” Jihyo continued. “So she created a fortress inside the mountains as a base between journeys to find others like her. It has been destroyed over the centuries in the great wars, but it still stands to this day. You know it as Key’s Preparatory of Preternaturals.”

There was great history on the ground on which Tzuyu stood. She didn’t know if she believed everything in her heart just yet, but she wanted to do it as much justice as the girls around her had, training their days away on this soiled earth all their lives. Going whole heart.

She pushed against a stone slab, sweat breaking across her forehead. She saw Sana watching in her periphery. She wanted to prove her wrong.

“We must also take special care to locate The Lady in her place on the Key Coast,” Jihyo’s lesson rang in her ears.

Tzuyu grunted, stretching her fingers, trying to hook onto anything on the stone.

“It is said that she was born in Europe and lived her early years there.”

There was a small shift. Pebbles rolled off.

“But we shouldn’t be mislead. The Fortress of Keys within these East Mountains is forever her place.”

The mighty rock was lifted. Tzuyu held it in her hands, fingers etched into the stone, and walked it over to the opposite ring of stones, dropping it on the dusty ground. Perhaps flimsy stems were pretty in their own way.

She looked up to see squad members clapping, this time for her, and noted a small smile on Sana’s face as the girl nodded.

She was about to smile back when the School Meal Club tackled her with excitement. Jeongyeon gave her a water bottle. Mina had brought a towel and began wiping the dust off her face.

When Tzuyu looked over to the spot where Sana stood, the girl had disappeared.

Beyond the stone rings at the edge of the hill, an odd eye glowed in the sunlight, studying the girl who carried the earth.

…

She was in the gymnasium making a checklist of the archery equipment when the Pink Squad captain entered to practice her pistol blasters.

Jennie gave a wave. “Hi.”

She glanced up. “Hi, me?”

Jennie looked around. “I don’t see anyone else here.”

“Ha… sorry, Jennie-nim.”  
“It’s okay.”

Her fellow junior blasted away while Sana returned to her list. The girl was still firing at targets when Sana finished, so she decided to get a pair for herself because it was never too early or too late to practice.

She stood beside the brunette and lowered her visor, firing off a few rounds.

_Pewww! Pewww!_

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, considering how much Sana enjoyed conversation. They were both focused when training. Maybe they had more in common than she thought.

Jennie was the first to speak up. “You are as good as they say, Sana-nim.”

She smiled. “Thank you. Not so bad yourself, Captain Kim.”

A chuckle. Then the girl’s face turned solemn as she studied the pistols in her hands. “You ever wish we didn’t have to do all this superhero stuff?”

Sana shrugged. “Only so I have more time to go shopping, I guess? As dumb as that sounds.”

_Pewww! Pewww!_

“Is that all you want to do?” Jennie continued.

“I wouldn’t mind a trip to Hawaii, like where all the humans go on vacation. Whatever a vacation is,” she replied.

“Life isn’t always what one likes, is it?” Jennie asked, her voice small.

Sana mulled her lip. “No, it isn’t.”

Jennie lowered the pistols. “I learned to cook and play a damn piano. I just haven’t had a chance to do it for anyone.”

“Same,” she sighed. “I feel like my life is changing and sometimes not at all, it’s weird. And then I feel guilty about wanting those things when Key City could fall at any time if we didn’t do our duty.”

There was a pause as they went to return the blasters. Instead of leaving, Jennie went to sit on the bleachers and stared at the ceiling.

“Do you still feel responsible for Saram sunbaenim’s death?”

Sana froze. No one dared to bring up the topic outside of her squad mates. But somehow, their short practice session was freeing. To her surprise, she had felt comfortable sharing her thoughts with the Pink Squad captain.

She joined the girl on the bleachers.

“My anger outweighs my guilt. I don’t know.” She scrunched her face. “Saram unnie wanted me to be Blue Squad captain, she wanted me to be a leader. I just don’t know if I’m on the right path sometimes without her here… It’s like you’re homesick for a place that won’t ever exist again.”

There was another pause. Jennie faced her. “But you’ve got it, Captain Minatozaki. I’ve seen supers come and go. The first time I saw you at Squads Training, I said to myself, ‘she’s gonna be a good one’.”

Sana lifted her brows in surprise as the girl continued.

“Can’t be good unless you love it.” Jennie turned her gaze somewhere past the walls of the gym, reminiscing. “The sun is just rising and you grab a duffel, walk out past the field. You head down the Clearview, Big Neck Ridge, and Salle Lake. Flash your light and wave to the lighthouse keeper on Nida Island.

The birds show up and the light hits you as you get to the bay. The girls are just waking up at the academy and you’re in charge, so you don’t have to go in till later… you’re running now, firing blasters, ice, and breath.”

Jennie looked back at her with a smile. “You’re a Key City superhero captain. Is there anything better in the world?”

Sana was smiling now too. Jennie also practiced in the mornings. Maybe it was a captain thing and maybe the girl was right. She was beginning to see that Jennie was the type of girl who had a soft heart but didn’t want anyone to know.

“Is that what keeps you going?” she asked her.

Jennie stood up and nodded. “I don’t think anyone really knows what the hell they’re doing. But I figure whatever sets off an avalanche in your chest is a good place to start.”

“You’re quite the poet, Captain Kim,” Sana chuckled.

The girl laughed. “Nah. You’ve got it in you too. We’re all a blink of an eye away from being awake.”

She turned to leave and Sana called out to her. “Jennie-nim! Friends?”

The captain smiled. “Friends.”

“Cool,” Sana laughed.

Jennie waved. “See you around, Sana-yah.”

…

She turned from the mirror. “Yes or yes? Or no, you could pick no, too.”

The girl smiled, moles shifting. “Me likey.”

“Ha. Thanks, Shakespeare.” She smoothed down her tracksuit jacket, looking at the mirror once more. “You really think so? I haven’t done this in a long time.”

“It doesn’t matter what I think. Do _you_ like it?”

San smiled lopsidedly and nodded. “Me likey likey likey. Although, you know, I like _Twelfth Night_ better than _Hamlet_.”

“Ah, ‘is it a world to hide virtues in?’ Very fitting. Well, there you go,” Mina chuckled.

“Arigato, darling.”

“You’re welcome, honey.” She tossed the blonde a water bottle.

…

They were back on the gym floor for dueling practice when the teams arrived. Dahyun had joined them today and was firing arrows beside Chaeyoung which made Tzuyu smile. Sure, their limbs would ache later, but at least they would ache together.

The teams started stretching when Tzuyu noticed two of the starters missing. Dahyun had noticed too.

“I wonder where Sana sunbae and Mina sunbae are. They’re usually on time.”

Irene sunbaenim lined them up for archery and was correcting their stances when she looked past them and waved. “There you two are.”

They weren’t the only ones to turn around. It was like the cafeteria all over again.

The crowd whooped and team members smirked as Mina walked in, looking so elegant with her hair in a low ponytail. Behind her was Sana, blonde hair tied in a high ponytail, nape exposed but features sporting a calm confidence.

Tzuyu lifted her brows. Sana sunbaenim should put her hair up more.

As the teams scrimmaged, Tzuyu regarded the dueling captain, blonde ponytail whipping across her focused face as she shot arrow after arrow, never missing. Minatozaki Sana was entirely her own unique entity.

It was then she came to a realization.

“Great,” she muttered, hiding her face in her hands.

Chaeyoung looked at her. “What’s wrong?”

“Just a slight inconvenience…” she replied.

For Tzuyu realized she didn’t mind figuring out the question that was Minatozaki Sana. She realized she hadn’t minded since they first met.

Dammit. She did like Sana sunbaenim like that, after all.

But she knew this was not the time for school girl crushes. She had to remember why she was here in the first place. It was her duty to put aside her feelings for the bigger picture.

“Are you sure?” Chaeyoung asked.

She nodded. “Yeah.”

She turned away from the scrimmage and picked up her bow.

She continued practicing, even when the whistle blew at the end of the match and varsity celebrated another win, except for a blonde girl looking at her as she caught her breath, brushing back the loose strands of her ponytail.

…

It was the day of her Blue Squad trial and Tzuyu tugged at the collar on her red and yellow striped shirt as they walked towards the Squad Departments building.

Chaeyoung swatted her hand away. “Stop fiddling with it, you look fine.”

“I look like a McDonald’s.”  
“No, you don’t. Besides, we all wore this for our trials. It’s good luck.”

_Yeah, if the officers wanna order at the Tzuyu drive thru…_

They entered the building and passed a few doors.

_The Department of Solar Magic (SM). The Department of Arms Research & Testing (Cube). The Department of History & Defense (Stone). The Department of Yggdrasil Studies (YG)._

The hallway was empty and silent. It was like walking a gauntlet in which nothing existed nor ever will, and of course Blue Squad’s had to be at the end.

They stopped in front of an old cherry wood door. _The Department of Joint Powers (JYP)._

“Unnie…” she turned to the two girls beside her.

“You’re gonna do great, we know it,” Dahyun smiled, straightening the younger girl’s collar.

Chaeyoung nodded. “We believe in you, Tzuyu-yah, hwaiting!”

She shifted her feet and nodded. The two wrapped her up in a tight hug.

The door opened and Momo’s head poked through, round wired glasses on her face. She grinned and looked at Tzuyu.

“We’re ready for you.”

The School Meal Club waved. “See you at Blue Squad dorm, Tzuyu-yah!”

She took a deep breath and walked through the door.

…

Momo led her into a big room with brick walls and maple wood floors, her sneakers squeaking as she walked in.

At the far end of the room was a long table and matching cherry wood chairs with blue tufted cushions.

Sitting on the chairs were Blue Squad’s officers and upperclassmen, all wearing variations of white button-down blouses and wire rimmed eyeglasses, each with a clipboard and a glass of water in front of them.

They remained quiet and sat upright, giving her pleasant smiles as she made her way to the center of the room. Momo took her seat between Jeongyeon and Sana, who was staring at her.

Tzuyu ignored it and looked away, for it was the one thing she did want to do, and that meant it was in the way of what she needed to do.

Jihyo spoke up. “Welcome to Teudoongie Trials. I’m Park Jihyo, Chief Executive Officer.”

They proceeded down the line of chairs.

“Im Nayeon, Head of Human Resources.”  
“Myoui Mina, Chief Financial Officer.”  
“Minatozaki Sana, Head of Marketing.”  
“Hirai Momo, Chief Technology Officer.”  
“Yoo Jeongyeon, Chief of Operations.”

Tzuyu bowed.

“Chou Tzuyu, are you ready to begin your trial?”  
“Yes.”

“What is the first rule of the Super Squad?”  
“No super gets left behind.”

Nayeon smiled as Jihyo wrote on her clipboard.

“Please show us an opening attack.”

She took her stance.

_It should suggest that the world will never be the same again._

She became one with her breath. She took a pen from her rib cage and opened the book of her heart.

She wrote her story across the walls of the room.

…

In the furthest wing of the academy was a tower known as The Keep. A figure glided up its circular stairs and approached the vaulted cell.

The man felt a shadow over him and looked up.

“Have you come to get me out?” he asked.

“Not yet.”

He mumbled a curse.

“What was that?”  
“Nothing.”

He let out a stifled yell and doubled over, clutching at his neck. He gasped at the figure, his eyes bulging and rolling backwards. “For—give…m—”

The invisible grip released him and he fell to the ground, coughing.

“You forget your role,” the voice resumed.

He filled his lungs with glorious air and faced the shadow. “It won’t happen again.”

“I’m sure.” The voice pitched higher, casual. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes. I’ve come to tell you to be ready.”

“It’s happening then?” he asked.

The voice hummed in reply.

“Why did it take so long? You let them get the girl. I heard they’re making her one of them, playing dueling games,” he sneered. “What’s the point in them being happy now if they’re going to be sad later?”

“Because they are going to be sad later,” the voice answered.

“Are you merciful then?”

The voice laughed, distorted. Like a gnashing of teeth.

“Haven’t you heard?” The figured turned back towards the stairs. “I don’t have a heart.”

The man looked out the tiny window of his cell, stretching out the ache in his neck. A lone howl cried out in the moonlight, vanishing into the nothingness of the night.

…


End file.
